He looked up. There seemed to be a rift, much like what he had seen from his friends portal, though there was no ring around it or any machine in sight at all. Kazo hesitated a moment... He and Blitukus had such great times together... he remembered the very first time he met his kobold friend... when he, Blitukus, and Arkus were all together. Kazo would miss them... he would miss them for a long time... but, he couldn't allow himself to dwell on it. As he looked into the rift... nothing but plain white on the other side... he realized, this would all be ancient history.
Kazo looked up at the rift. What lay beyond? Whatever it was, it might help to get his mind off the past. Kazo leapt up, and crossed through into the light. HE found the plain white light surrounding him, filling him. As he looked back at the rift, he found the rift had inexplicably ceased to exist. Soon though, he found the whiteness around penetrating through and flooding his very existence. Eventually, after a few moments, the whiteness began to fade away to blackness. Kazo felt himself awakening. He slowly came to his senses, his blurry vision adjusting to a sharp image. Kazo slowly rolled over onto his front, and got up. He felt as if surprisingly little time had passed, in fact...
That was a very short dream! I guess I haven't slept for very long?
Kazo looked around. He was inside of the same cave, the wind gusting across the tundra outside. It was daylight outside, the sun revealing several hills of snow. The clouds above, though there were some, were quite sparse. Kazo found that, for some reason, energy and force were irrelevant. He left the cave, and stepped out into the tundra. He noticed the wind seemed to not effect him in the least. He looked to his left. There was a 20 foot tall version of the statue he had seen in Blitukus' caves... a kobold cupping his hands... the statue was made of obsidian. So much for this taking his mind off of the past... He turned away, and inexplicably, two more statues of similar scale seemed to exist adjacent this. One of a female kobold, her grin... seemingly immortal... projecting itself across space and time. The third statue was of a dragon, holding a sphere of crystal, within which a small vortex of mana churned. All three of the statues then seemed to smile at Kazo, their glowing eyes looking at him. Kazo smiled back. A moment passed, then he waved to the past, and moved on. That there were 3 statues popping into existence hundreds of miles away from civilization never struck Kazo as odd, for it seemed logic itself played by different rules. Kazo looked down, noticing his feet making footprints in the snow. Somehow, the notion of having feet struck him as odd. The very act of finding something odd seemed to change the scene around slightly. Kazo looked up, and saw a mountain range had come into existence immediately ahead. He entered an oddly familiar tunnel. Yet, it did not lead to a kobolds home... only to an exit that was just like the entrance. Beyond the exit was jungle, rather than tundra. A path led through the jungle. The sun indicated about 10 o' clock AM, though no birds sang, and the wind hardly moved the leaves on the trees.
Kazo looked around again. He saw the ruins of a dragons tower, the spires laying next to the ruin, having broken off long before. Kazo turned around to see immediately adjacent the skeletal ruin of a titanium skyscraper. Both ruins seemed to have been forever before and forever since still and undisturbed. Kazo investigated both ruins... and found there was absolutely nothing inside but ruined walls and wrecked ceiling and floor tiles. It was as if they had actually been visited before, and all furniture, devices, all of it, had been taken out. Kazo walked back to the front of the rusted, leaning, skeletal frame of what perhaps was once a titanium skyscraper. There was one item left in front of it that he had never noticed before, laying next to a beam he had never noticed before. He walked over and looked at this item. It was a rusted, old rivet, sitting next to a hole which it likely once occupied. Kazo reached out to grab the rivet, and noticed he seemed to be holding a hammer in his hand. The spontaneously apparent hammer was an obvious hint. Kazo took the rivet, put it over the rusted hole, and hammered it back in. When that was done, he moved the hammer to reveal the rivet was shining again... and so was the beam. In fact, there was now fully intact and straight glass panes on each side of the beam. Kazo looked up to witness the skyscraper standing tall, shining as if it had just been completed the day before. Kazo laughed... that had to be the easiest repair job in history. Kazo looked back down. His hands were now empty, the hammer gone. The hammer itself seemed but only a vague memory anyhow... Kazo felt inexplicably compelled to continue down the path. He did so. Around a bend, and around another bend, into very dense trees until finally he reached a stone with a pool of water in it, water seeming to come out of the top of the stone and fall into the pool, which never rose despite no drain. He heard the sound of a waterfall running... suddenly, he heard the sound of birds singing. Odd that he had never noticed it before... in fact, something seemed odd in general. This somehow seemed to make a part of him deep down inside nervous of... losing some kind of challenge? That's what it felt like. He looked down, and found his adamantine exterior was pink. He tilted his head, and spoke, "HEY! Why am I pink? I'm blue!" He then looked up, and saw, just above a rock which was just high enough to sit on, a pair of floating eyes, looking at him. He made eye contact with this pair of eyes, and in that instant, the eyes expressed the kind of surprise one expresses when unexpectedly losing a game. Upon making eye contact, it dawned upon him. Things appearing? 20 foot statues in the middle of nowhere? The one hit repair job? Since when was he pink? It was all rather silly... it was all a dream.
Kazo observed again, finding the pair of eyes now belonged to an entity that seemed to be several parts of several creatures sewn together into the same shape as Kazo. This entity laughed, then spoke in the same voice as Kazo, "You got me!" Kazo smiled, waving his tail, "Why hello!" Kazo found himself able to levitate up, and did so. He looked back down, and saw the entity had vanished. Kazo landed, and looked around. Suddenly, a small, square crystal set in a mithril frame fell from the sky, Kazo catching it as it fell right in front of him. He looked at it. A voice from behind him spoke, "WHATS ON THE CLOCK?" Kazo smiled, "Let's find out!" Kazo turned it over, and saw that it read, "(AM*PM) 18:88:88". Either it was broken or the numbers ticked by so fast they simply blurred together. Kazo looked to his side. The entity stood right behind him, its head over Kazos shoulder. Kazo looked at the entity, the entity promptly grinning at Kazo. Kazo turned to face the entity to find he had vanished. Kazo turned around again... there was his counterpart entity, walking in a motion that suggested forwards but with a velocity that was backwards, crossing straight in front of Kazo. What time was it? He was fairly certain he had fallen asleep in the mid 1080s... when he woke up, it could merely be 1090. It could just as easily be the year 1090000. Perhaps he would wake up to be the only sapient alive on the planet... perhaps he would wake up and nothing would be different... perhaps- His counterpart interrupted, appearing before him with flames coming from his eyes, "Sun go BOOM!" All of a sudden, the jungle around was reduced to a flaming heap, which was promptly blown away with the rest of the atmosphere, and the entire world was reduced to a charred cinder as the sun above erupted furiously, scorching all worlds around. Kazo shielded himself, looked down to shield his eyes, and curiously looked up, to find himself standing among the trees again, the sun above as it was.
I don't think I'll sleep in THAT much!
His counterpart grinned, the flames still present in his eyes, "So you say!"
Say?
His counterpart continued, "Say! Say!" Kazo laughed... then as he observed again, noticed his counterpart had vanished and reappeared to his side. Kazo watched his counterpart run by him, but as he turned to view his counterpart, he noticed his counterpart had vanished again. Kazo looked around... suddenly, his counterpart dropped from the sky and landed before him. This behavior of seemingly sneaking about and appearing out of nowhere reminded Kazo of himself. Kazo snickered, "So I see you l-" His counterpart interrupted, pointing at Kazo as to touch Kazos nose with the tip of his claw, "Where do you think YOU got it from?" His counterpart continued to hold a claws tip against Kazos nose, moving it up and down, causing Kazo to move up and down following it. They both snickered. His counterpart laughed, grinned, turned around, then looked upward at such a ridiculous angle, he once again looked at Kazo, his head relatively upside down. It did explain the previously inexplicable urge to do that. Kazo approached his counterpart, who then turned again and poked Kazo. His counterpart spoke, "Poke!" Kazo snickered. His counterpart then seemed to pull a wooden spoon and a spatula out of nowhere, and stood with them in a fighting pose. His counterpart then spoke, "Let's spar!" Kazo snickered, "So then we'll have a cooking match?" His counterpart replied, "I'm the legendary spoon master elite!" Kazo laughed, thought about it, looked inwardly, then looked outwardly, to find he now stood in a dark arena. His counterpart spoke, "I brought my spoon army!" Kazo turned around. Before him stood a legion of 10,000 dwarves, each wielding a giant, masterwork, masterfully engraved steel spoon. The dwarves grunted in unison, and stood in formation. They seemed to be wearing spaghetti armor. Kazo turned around again, and smiled, "You're completely crazy!" His counterpart grinned, tongue hanging out, now wearing a pan as a helmet, handle off to the side, "That's half my job!" Suddenly, the room dimmed. The legion disappeared, and Kazos counterpart seemed surprised, quite surprised. Kazos counterpart ducked so low to the ground he seemed to partially sink into it. The spatula, spoon, and pan had ceased to exist. Kazo felt a sensation of freezing cold within his chest. Suddenly, the entire arena seemed to grow icicles. Kazos counterpart sprang to his feet, and ran over to Kazo. His counterpart yelled, an expression of sheer will on his face, "!!SECOND HALF OF JOB!!" A short moment passed. Kazos counterpart seemed to reach into Kazos chest, phasing through his exterior, and grabbing at what was now very definitely the freezing cold power source within. Kazos counterpart spoke, "WARNING! !!WARNING!! !!!" Kazos counterpart grabbed Kazo by the arms, and shook Kazo back and forth, speaking, "Heart go cold! Control! Control! WAKE UP!" Kazo felt something was going very wrong, but couldn't tell what. His counterpart took off the crown that he suddenly seemed to be wearing, and placed it on Kazos head in a symbolic gesture. Kazos counterpart pressed his face against Kazos, yelling, "!!DO SOMETHING!!" Kazo felt the cold... he knew what to do, but the part of his mind that knew it wasn't active... what was it?! Suddenly, the room began to dim to pitch black, dream reality, his thoughts, it all winding down as if it were a device running out of power... power... heat... RODS! At the very thought his mind was unified in the control signal.
Kazos crystal, mithril, and adamantine innards, having been at rest for eons, silence all around... suddenly clicked. It was a click that seemed to echo into the distance despite it being nearly inaudibly soft. A moment later, there was a snapping sound as the rods freed themselves from the various particles that had settled in the joint. The rods then extended out from the spherical device.
Kazo felt as though he were about to freeze through... and then he would be frozen for all eternity. But, the ice halted. Suddenly, flame burst forth from the walls of the arena, filling the area with light, and immediately melting the ice. Kazos counterpart danced among the flame, laughing, a few moments later running up to Kazo and hugging him. Kazos counterpart winked at him and grinned, "Have fun!" The light grew, and grew, until it drowned out all... Kazo felt reality shifting. The light faded to dark, and once again, he felt solidity.
Kazo felt very tired, a hunger within... but this hunger was filled, his exhaustion fading as the coldness within his chest turned to warmth. He felt the channels of his runes, the crystals within, all of his body, covered inside and out by settled dust particles... he had enough power to feel. He felt his power supply growing. This power flowed through the long previously dormant channels within him, weakly, but growing stronger. He felt more senses feeding in... he could taste, though there was nothing but dust. He could smell, and dust filled his nostrils. He could hear, but there was nothing to be heard but the dull sound of distant wind in a tunnel. He saw a dim, fuzzy image. The image grew brighter, and sharper... as his sense of balance restored itself, his eyes pointed in a proper direction, giving him a proper image. He had awakened.
He found himself unable to move. Not only were his joints full of settled particles to the point of being jammed, but he seemed to be held up by some sort of wire, hardly noticeable to view, but he felt it attached to him. He thought to himself... this was what it's like to be a museum exhibit? He could only look forward. He was in some sort of room, a large foyer of some sort looking upon a large, sealed exit. He stood upon a circular platform above the floor of a circular room that occupied the T-section between two corridors and the path to the exit immediately ahead. There seemed to be an old, ruined trade depot right in front of him as well. He found the wire posed him in such a manner as to strike a ferocious pose at both the depot and the exit... likely an entrance as well. He tried to move his head... he found he was weak, but his strength was increasing. It was taking surprisingly long for the device to warm up. Eventually, he found his strength was sufficient. He forced his head to move, the dust in his neck joint snapping away, resulting in a small puff of dust particles. He spat out and undid the wires holding his mouth and head in place. He bit through the wires holding hi arms in place, severing them. One by one, he freed his joints, unjamming them.
Eventually, he slowly fell over... this was before he had unjammed his leg joints... and fell from the platform. He landed on his tail and legs, resulting in no injury, rather, the force of the impact unjammed those joints all at once. Kazo really despised falling over... but at least it wasn't all bad. He got up, and flexed his joints until no more dust came out. He then brushed himself off. He felt his power level, once a deficit, was now a surplus. His soul, vacant of mana, slowly began to pick up a charge. He looked around. There were some clothes laying on the trade depot, the corridor to the right blocked off entirely by a cave in, the corridor to the left blocked off 3 doors down. What lay behind those 3 doors? Kazo was intent on finding out. He walked back to the first door, dust drifting off from his exterior the whole way. He opened the door, sending a plume of dust settling... the rooms, the entire area was vacant. Within was a smooth room, masterful furniture within, having withered with the passage of time. A masterwork bed, a masterwork chair and table, a masterwork coffer, and a masterwork cabinet... a 4 by 4 space room, with all of this in it, and no other indication it was meant for a noble at all. Perhaps it wasn't. The other 2 rooms were of the same size. Kazo checked the coffer and cabinet... empty and empty. He moved on to the second room. It proved it be identical to the first. He moved on to the third room... it seemed to be identical to the other two, but the coffer was locked shut with a heavy iron lock. Kazo crouched down, and picked the lock with his claw. This wasn't sufficient... Sparks shot out as he flash-heated the metal, after which it was much easier to manipulate. Kazo opened the lock, pulled it off, then opened the coffer. Within was an unadorned backpack that seemed to be remarkably preserved even though it was covered with dust. Kazo took up the heavy backpack and looked within it. It contained two bags full of gold coins... whether there was still any merchants to offer them to was still up for debate. Kazo brought the backpack with as he left the room. He walked to the trade depot, and looked back. There was a masterful engraving of a giant cave spider striking down a dwarf. Kazo really wanted to investigate the entire place. This could be the remains of a once legendary dwarven fortress after all. Unfortunately, Kazo lacked a pickaxe, and the halls were caved in. He looked down... all that was left in the trade depot was a coat, pants, and boots, all dark brown in color, matching the backpack. Kazo tried them on... they were quite well preserved, and hid Kazos form surprisingly well. The coats tails even hid Kazos tail. It would come in handy should he prove not to be the last sapient in the world. Kazo wore it and the backpack over it, using the hood to hide his head. He had seen all there was to see it seemed.
Now it was time to move on. Kazo walked toward the exit. He had no idea when or where he was... it produced a feeling that would give the impression he was on another world entirely, or that perhaps the ruined fortress was its own world. As he walked, he remembered one last time... all he had done with Arkus... he loved Arkus, and Arkus loved him... and now, he had to put it behind. He remembered his adventures with Blitukus... from mills to time machines, the armored vehicle, the wave generator, he, Blitukus, and Dracha working to improve the vehicle... his adventure through the future, and his role in his kobold friends adventure into the depths of hell itself. He had enjoyed their company... those were good times he had with them, but now they were quite evidently ancient history. What lie ahead? There was only one way to find out. Kazo walked up to one of the doors of the otherwise sealed exit, and opened it, stepping into the bright light on the other side. The light surrounded him. He stood still... wind blew gently across him. As his eyes adjusted, the light faded down until he could finally make out the scene.
He stood in pristine jungle, the sun hanging low in the sky, having just risen. The sound of birds singing and a nearby waterfall could be heard. The sky above was a beautiful blue, the suns rays piercing into sparse but thick clouds. He looked behind him... the rusted iron door with rivets in it leading back to a now pitch black tunnel. It seemed there was once a road running to this fortress, but now the road had been left to disrepair. In several places, stone was missing, and plants grew up through the cracks and holes. There was even a tree in the middle of the road. That iron door... this road... time travel, the machine, the demonic future, the bare necessities of a dire quest... was now something for his memory alone it seemed. He turned back around, and walked into the jungle, surrounded by plants and singing birds, humidity dense in the air. Kazo snickered at the thought of an iron door in a place like this... eventually it would rust to nothing, and all that would be left would be the jungle. He walked swiftly, grinning. The past was the past... and as the birds sang around him, he admired all that lay ahead. He loved the jungle... he enjoyed all of natures beauty, but had always been fond of the sheer density of the jungle... plenty of everything. Now, he was faced with an entirely new situation. He had nobody and nothing to be loyal to but himself. He lacked a goal at all, there was no big quest on his mind. Before him was a world of unknown date and unknown location to explore at his whim... at the very thought of this he waved his tail excitedly. He decided to start with the waterfall. He turned and walked over to it. As he walked, he noticed the device powering him seemed to need the rods extended more to produce the same power. Over the eons, perhaps, his basic functions keeping him alive drew too much energy? Perhaps the fuel just decayed naturally? It all made sense... had his dream continued much longer, he might have run out of power to wake up with. For the time being, there was likely a long, long time left before fuel became an issue. There were still no pressures on his actions and he was free to act as he wished. Should he come across a means of refueling in his travels, he would accept, but there was still plenty of time.
BEYOND QUALITY! :D
RRL.
Looks like it did carry over after all. I'm definitely glad :)
Although if I do manage to mess up down the line, it's good for me to hear about it.
Awesome, your stories are great!
This might be short due to a late start.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo continued to the waterfall. It was truly an example of natural beauty... the water came off of an outcropping of stone, glistened as it fell through the air, and landed in a cloud of mist, a small brook running from the bottom. The entire waterfall was surrounded with stone that sparkled with tiny quarts fragments. Kazo walked toward it along the brook, happening upon the rusted and rotten remains of a stone, wood, and iron screw pump, the output leading into an underground pipe. The pipe was dark below and contained a spiders web. Even though Kazo couldn't see down it, he wanted to see what was on the bottom, but he thought better of it. Considering the caved in areas and the likely long drop, and his lack of a pickaxe, it was likely he would get himself stuck for a long time. Kazo looked at the pump again. It was long useless due to decay, but it still retained its basic form. He remembered the door... it was thick, and despite this extremely rusted, indicating likely centuries of disrepair... but it could not be millenia, otherwise the door wouldn't be there at all. This fortress also couldn't have been made more than a few centuries after he had fallen asleep, for otherwise there would've likely been something more complex and advanced than a stone screw pump here. Life was abuzz all around... this was before the demonic future. He was beginning to get a bearing on what the date was... it was probably between 1400 and 2000. Still, that was a gap of 600 years, and even then the world could defy his expectations should it wish to do so. Kazo walked up to the waterfall, dropped his backpack and clothes near the side, and stepped into its pristine waters... These cold, pure waters were left as they were... Perhaps the waterfall had seen the sun rise since the days when dragons and elves lived in caves with only a fuzzy sense of what mana was even for. It still stood. Kazo smiled as he walked under the falling waters, the water splashing off of his surface, landing all around. Kazo laughed, looking straight up into the falling waters, then proceeded to finally clear the dust out of his joints and off of his surface, restoring his surface's shine. He smiled, and walked behind the waterfall. There was nothing but stone, but at least he had checked. He left the waters, put the clothes back on, and put the backpack back on, following the brook into the jungle. Perhaps he would happen upon a settlement adjacent the brook? He felt curious as to what such a settlement would be like. Still... the thought that all that had happened was over...
He looked around and took in all that he saw. A bird flew overhead. Next he saw the cocoon of a butterfly dangling... the butterfly actually seemed to be emerging. Kazo smiled, and walked tall and quickly... he was here and now. He spotted a fox drinking from the brook. The fox spotted him. Kazo waved at the fox, smiling. The fox tilted its head, and seemed to debate with itself whether to flee or to stay and watch this odd being. It decided upon the latter. As Kazo passed by, the fox sat, yawned, and watched him walk away. Kazo snickered. Kazo continued along the brook... he loved these surroundings but he was also eager to see whether he would happen upon a technological marvel of a city, or a simple town, barely more advanced than the time he had left behind. Either way, he had some catching up to do. He continued on, enjoying the sights of all sorts of flora and fauna, big and small, conducted their daily routine. The sun moved through the sky... the jungle seemed to glow as the sun crossed its noon position. The sun eventually set. Kazo looked behind himself, watching the reddish rays cast out scatter over the surface of the brook and reflect among the trees, for a few minutes making the entire jungle seem a different hue. Kazo continued into the night... the denizens of daylight tucked themselves away in their burrows and nests, while the denizens of the night came out to conduct their nightly routines. Kazo preferred daylight most of the time, though as a construct he never actually needed to sleep. As he continued, he noticed the brook merging into a river. He followed this river downstream. He looked up and noticed the stars were crystal clear. Even the skies were pristine... as well as the heavens above. There wasn't a single orbiting object to be seen, though, a moment later, he did notice a shooting star. He smiled at the event, and continued, watching nature carry out its tasks all around. Hours passed... eventually, thunder could be heard. Soon this sound intensified, lightning seen nearby. Soon after, it began raining. Eventually, the clouds ahead parted enough for Kazo to witness the sun slowly making its way up, above the horizon. Its colorful and changing rays once again illuminated the landscape. For a bit, the creatures of daylight and the creatures of the night were both active enough to effectively interact with one another. Then, the creatures of the night tucked themselves away as the creatures of daylight began a new day. The river widened as he progressed. Luckily though, should he need to cross, he was able to swim across just about anything he needed to.
It expanded, and became a lake. The ripples in the lake sparkled under the sunlight, and the lake was beautiful as well... but the lake was small, and the edges seemed to indicate the lake was actually relatively new... Kazo looked over to the front of the lake, where there was a cliff face. Where there would've been a waterfall was instead a concrete building standing between the lake on one side and a river on the other. Kazo approached this building. The roof of it also acted as a bridge from one end of the lake to the other. This building was actually relatively small, as wide as it was deep. There were steel floodgates on the river side letting out the water which flowed through the river, and also likely preventing the lake from simply overflowing. The floodgates were partially open. Kazo walked over, and crossed to the other side. There was an incomplete control panel there. Likely the technician, whoever or whatever he or she was, carried the missing piece as a security measure. Kazo looked around. Toward the rear of the building was a series of simple, basic electrical transformers, encased in steel, the posts on top wired to a series of black cables that were carried into the distance atop wooden poles sunk into the ground. These long distance connections went off in two directions, one more upstream, the other straight ahead. The one straight ahead led into the distance, where a bit of light grey smoke could be seen rising into the sky. It was proof that not only was he not the last sapient of that day, but he had arrived in a more advanced time. Perhaps he could somehow secure a source of fuel? It was not an immediate priority. His immediate priority was to see what that settlement was, how it was laid out, what it looked like, how the people were... He smiled, waved his tail, and walked toward the settlement, following the line of posts. As he approached, he noticed it was actually a sizable town. It lay within the middle of the jungle, fencing all around it, but it didn't seem to actually be causing any pollution problems. The buildings were red and brown. As Kazo approached, he identified this as wood and red brick, the grey smoke ascending from a sizable industrial building from the rear of the town. It was actually the only building in town to have sizable smokestacks. Apart from the occasional dirt cliff, all around was relatively flat terrain populated by the jungle, though there were mountains just barely visible on the horizon to the left. There seemed to be the stumps of recently harvested trees around as well, but new trees were planted in their place and none of the trees were clear cut. It seemed the town placed a high value on their convenient wood source. Kazo approached the town. There were gates in the fences by dirt paths that led out. The gates were left ajar but a guard kept watch over each one. Kazo approached a gate. The guard stood on duty, and noticed Kazo, but seemed to find no reason to do anything to stop him. The guard was a male human, equipped with a long crossbow that had a wooden body and steel mechanisms. The crossbow was not automatic, though the clever mechanisms on it allowed for an immense tension in the bow. Those mechanisms actually seemed to be a machine consisting of a combination of both ratchet and crank mechanisms. The guard had the crossbow put away, so the bolts were stuffed in the quiver where Kazo couldn't see them. He felt curious as to the bolt type, but he felt more curious as to what he would find beyond the gate.
He crossed through the gate and into the town. Between wooden and the occasional brick building lay dirt paths. He walked up to a bench near a wooden building with a steel saw blade resting against it. On the bench lay a rain-soaked newspaper. It had been raining off and on, although for the moment it had stopped. Kazo picked up the newspaper and began reading it. At first he noticed the title and date, "The Event Log, 14th of Slate, 1879". A small, black and white image of a log was printed under the title. A newspaper called the event log? A fitting and straightforward name, but not what he had expected. At least the date answered several questions of his. The tropical climate indicated the southern continents as well. Likely he was in the south central continents. Kazo began reading the articles.
One was titled, "We don't know!" It described a civilian who spread information regarding a clandestine military figure... known only as "Alias Milspec"... and happened to vanish inexplicably the day after. The local mayor was queried and explained it as a hiking accident, although this civilian was never known to go on hiking trips. General Silentslaughters was also queried, but refused to comment. There was a blank space below as if a lot of text had been hurriedly removed. Indeed, there seemed to be a lot of news involving the physical and political conflict of an energy war... Kazo realized, he had just awoken in the decades following the failure of the steam loop. The worst of it was over, as apart from some scattered skirmishes the conflict was merely political, and in most places energy was no longer a dire need. Unfortunately, in some places, it still was... Then, another observation made more sense... the reason the town was so caring and nice to the jungle around was that, apart from their small hydroelectric operation, that wood was the only fuel to burn. Two locations stuck out among the stories.
A town named Shadedports was reported to have an ever increasing organized crime problem, originally due to the overseas oil and coal trade, now due to a lucrative contraband trade. The chief criminal leader there was known commonly as "Daemon" or, alternatively, "G". The criminal control over the docks there had increased to the point where many consider it the namesake of the town. The local authorities were at a loss at what to do as narcotics and weapons trade boomed alongside 'forcefully requisitioned' fossil fuels. Though, it seemed the power of the authorities in the area was quite low save for some minor military presence anyway.
Another location of note was Steelflame, a relatively small but relatively advanced mining town of mostly kobolds. Not much was said, other than mentions of their leader, described as 'demonic', managing to attract both the anger of religious groups by publicly announcing some... omitted quotes. Their leader was also described as 'anticompetitive'... even though her practices were anything but. It seemed she had earned a long standing grudge with the western military thanks to her long standing, large supply of cheap, clean energy that happened to crash coal businesses and sink the price of oil in some areas, resources that had previously yielded a lot of money for the military both through taxable trade and... unofficial dividends. Long established powers never got along with her, yet newly established powers and the civilians under them tended to side with her, indeed, her popular support was the highest among all the western leaders, despite some rather questionable statements and acts. It was also noted that she called herself 'Nefarious'... which left the leaders of the powers that despised her often without an effective way to insult her in public view. It seemed he had awoken to a world where energy starvation had led to many more cases of questionable ethics... though in many cases this resulted in outright corruption. Still, there were benevolent... mostly benevolent... forces promising to bring change. Kazo smiled. The engines of progress and change were spinning up, and he was eager to view the gears turning within.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know there wasn't much happening, but it was probably a good thing I did this segment specifically, since it was late and it probably isn't a good idea for me to write action etc. when I'm tired.
[ February 11, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
"This is a concrete Beyond quality award.
It menaces whit spikes of steel.
it is spun around in wires of copper.
it is encircled whit bands of magnetite.
in the item is a image of an oil tanker and a thunderstorm in rope red, the thunderstorm is striking down the oil tanker."
One thing, you shuld link all stories to each other, so they are easier to find.
I just love your writing.
Thanksye! :)
What is Kazo? I realise he's some kind of magical sentient machine but thats leaving it a bit vague. I cant search for it in AKQ2 because there are so many pages, so much text, it makes my brain melt.
Perhaps an FAQ for those whose brains blew up while reading AKQ2 is in order?
Ah, Kazo is basically a construct in the form of an adamantine featherless raptor, basically, with some things adjusted to make interacting with items a bit easier.
Edit: Yes, I should link these stories together.
Link to the previous story: http://www.bay12games.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=11&t=000759
[ February 11, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Kazo then walked into town, and looked around. There were quite a few wooden buildings, the brick buildings concentrated more toward the center and rear of the town. Noticeable near the rear of the town was a fenced off dirt strip. As this town lay within a jungle, there were no farms... likely they got their food from hunting, foraging, and trade. Kazo walked by a wooden building with small windows and a small smokestack on its roof. He walked up to the small window at the side, and looked in. Inside, there were several people operating rather heavy and cumbersome machines that quickly made bolts from the lumber the nearby mill produced and metal that likely came from around the building with large smokestacks in the back of the town. As there was no battle taking place, this was a clear indicator that hunting was a good source of food and income for the town. Kazo continued on, past some houses which he looked into... at one of them, he walked to the window to find a female human dressing inside. She noticed him and seemed startled, "Leave!" Kazo snickered and moved on. Although there was no real taboo against nudity, it was still considered invasive for someone to peep in a window. Kazo neared the center of town, and came across a 2 story wooden building. In front of it, a male kobold lay against the wall. This kobold wore goggles of steel and clear glass, a backpack full of likely thick clothes, and a scarf on top of everything else. Kazo walked up, "Why hello!" The kobold replied, "Greetings!" Kazo continued, noting the alternately hot and wet weather, "So you really like that scarf?" The kobold continued, "The higher I go, the colder it gets. Been here three damn days because that zeppelin hasn't shown up yet." Kazo asked, "So you work on the zeppelins?" The kobold replied, "No, I'm a pilot. My plane's the green one in the yard. The guys back in Ablefounded told me it would be a bad idea to fly here, but they didn't say what would happen if I did it anyway. I got here and the whole damn strip was all outta gas! I can't fly back on fumes! That zeppelin from Endlesslabors is supposed to be carrying some decent tanks of fuel for the strip here... and they're late. This put my whole business on hold, I got clients waiting for me to pick them up you know!" Kazo continued the questioning, "So you run this important business out of a single aircraft?" The kobold replied, "A plane IS important business. They cost more per ton than any other vehicle type, and only the advanced nations even make 'em. Heck, hardly anyone but the advanced nations even have real landing strips, the rest you gotta just find an open area. My clients are basically a bunch of richies that I don't care to talk to, but it's good money ferrying 'em around. I got lucky with mine. I found it as an ol' junker in a yard. It's a dead model, made before The Switch, but all I had to do was put in new engines and some gas tanks and it flew fine. Heh, that's the only way a guy like me could afford one. So how are you faring?" Kazo smiled, "I actually don't know yet! I can't wait to find out!" Kazo then looked around. The kobold replied, "My, you're an odd fellow." Kazo grinned, "Yes I am! Thanks for the information. Good luck!" The kobold chuckled, "Alright then, same to you."
With that, they parted. Kazo continued toward the middle of town, and eventually happened across a large brick building that had several large windows with simple blinds in them. The symbol of a coin near the front door indicated it was a bank. Kazo entered... this gave him an idea. He had always been curious about mathematical trickery could be used to trip up the financially minded. Then again, he was curious about anything that wasn't already fully known. There was surprisingly little business going on. Kazo walked up, and spoke, "Hello! I'd like to open an account!" A teller sitting at a nearby desk gestured at a stack of blank forms. Kazo took up one of the forms. There were many optional fields on it, in fact, it was really up to the person signing up whether it would be simple or complicated. One could simply put who they were and what account they wanted... or could also attempt to negotiate every single relevant number regarding the account. New accounts needed an initial deposit... this was all the better. Kazo sat down nearby a pen and ink, and proceeded to make use of every field he could think of an answer for, including many optional and even probably frivolous ones. He put down numbers that looked sane at first glance but were actually ridiculous... numbers that were meaningless, numbers that conflicted, numbers that referred to other numbers that referred to other numbers, and numbers that when combined properly, had a negative result. Kazo got up and smiled as he slid the form under the window to the teller. The teller was surprised for a moment to see Kazos blue, shiny, 3-fingered hand pushing it in. The teller looked away, then looked back, Kazo having already moved his hand away. Kazo asked, "Is everything OK?" The teller hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Yeah, just-... nevermind." The teller cleared his throat and began to sketch out math and look through records, processing the request... Kazo held in a snicker as the teller found his math looping back to itself, the records coming up dry. In fact, the tried and true calculations of his trade... said he should give Kazo money to open an account. The teller rechecked several times, Kazo waiting and watching. Eventually, the teller looked at the form... at his paper full of math... at the form again... then at Kazo, "Hey, what're you tryin' to pull?" Kazo snickered, "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice!" The teller was not amused. Kazo smiled, and walked away, leaving the building.
Kazo continued walking toward the back of the town. It began raining. He passed through an industrial complex. It turned out that the smaller buildings did much of the manufacturing, while the larger one with its large smokestacks was indeed the smelter. Within the buildings, several people worked with heavy machinery to produce the desired good. Likely much of the result was earmarked for trade, since there were only certain resources available to this town, the rest needing to be imported. Kazo dragged his feet... he needed an excuse for leaving such odd footprints in the now muddy road. He noticed that the smelter worked with very large vats and buckets of molten metal. It likely was seldom run fully, even though it was the only smelter in town, since it looked like the nearby mine wasn't actually that big. Kazo continued, and found himself at a steel fence, overlooking what was once a long dirt strip of land... temporarily now a mud strip. Kazo noticed the rain splashing off of several buildings, and in the front right corner, a few flying machines were present. He saw the green flying machine of the kobold... it was partially rusted, and had two pairs of vaguely insect-like wings, one right over the other. Between the two pairs of wings were two engines, one on each side, propellers in back. It seemed the engines once housed steam pistons and steam loops... that had been gutted out and replaced with simple internal combustion engines, lines leading to fuel tanks which seemed to be attached in an improvised but secure manner to the side of the aircraft. The aircraft had a fixed landing gear, and an open cockpit, behind which was room for 2 passengers. The cockpit and passenger areas had a tarp draped over it to prevent the rain from ruining the interior. Next to it was a flying machine that had 3 pairs of wings, the second pair attached to the middle of the aircraft, a single engine mounted on the nose. Again, the aircraft had a fixed landing gear and an open cockpit with a tarp over it. These aircraft were relatively simple, but it seemed new methods had been adapted to powering them rather well. Suddenly, a horn blared. Kazo turned around to witness the approach of an airship... much of the frame was actually wooden, the envelope covered with fabric over this. There were a few electric lights also visible, although they were connected to their power source with a visible black cable, a power source that was inactive. The airship was also visibly fighting the wind in its attempt to properly land at the strip. Kazo smiled and waved his tail excitedly. He now had a chance to gain speedy transit to one of the more interesting towns of the region, places he couldn't wait to visit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As always, I'm hoping I didn't mess anything up. Maybe I should get earlier starts...
Awesome as always, Alan. :)
Edit: FIRST POST!!
[ February 12, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
Actually yeah, even though it wasn't actually a reference to it, when I was thinking up the aircraft, it reminded me of crimson skies too.
[ February 12, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
I have already said that, have I not?
So, Kazo is going to Endlesslabors...
I have to admit, the idea I have in mind here really does remind me of crimson skies... either it was a coincidence or my subconscious slipping something in. Good game either way, it probably deserves a reference.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo watched the airship approach... it had 6 engines in total, 4 of which were running, giving off a thin but dark exhaust as well as an audible roar. The windsock by the strip was visibly showing a strong headwind for the airship. Kazo smiled and watched as it descended. It drifted to the left, and drifted to the right, and drifted to the left again, the pilot turning just in time to avoid knocking over a tall pole. Finally, the airship landed on its metal struts, which sank into the mud... as the wind dragged the airship about, this caused curves to be drawn in the mud. Finally, the airship rested upon the ground firmly enough to stop its motion. The 4 engines idled, then sputtered to a stop. Rain continued to pour down. Kazo walked along the fence, to a building that resembled a barn. The door on the other side opened, and two humans and a kobold walked out to greet the human and two dwarves who had emerged from the bottom of the airship. The kobold spoke, "You guys are tough enough to fly through a storm and still managed to end up a day and a half late?" One of the dwarves spoke, "Bah, lightning won't stop us from making a run! We're late here 'cause some idiot threw a tantrum and broke the docking clamp! They aughta hammer his head in so hard it comes out the rear!" Kazo snickered... the dwarven fascination with melee weapons was a very interesting phenomena. Even as better weapons became available, they were just too stubborn in their ways to ever abandon melee weapons. Though, they likely did upgrade what they had whenever possible. One of the humans spoke, "Right, so our diplomat already showed up and negotiated the trade did he? Let's get this stuff hauled, the tanks are in the back." They then began to unload the zeppelin, and move wooden crates out of the building. The full crew of the zeppelin and all of the airport staff were eventually summoned to this task, moving tanks full of gasoline from the rear of the zeppelin out into the small warehouses near the strip along with several crates of other goods. They then all worked to move numerous crates into the zeppelin along with several wooden logs.
Kazo opened the door to the front of the building, and entered it. A dwarf holding a crate immediately spotted Kazo. The dwarf spoke, "Hey, what're ya d-" The dwarf set the crate down, and noticed Kazo was no longer standing there. Kazo snickered inwardly as he snuck, crouched low to the ground, silently, behind a long row of crates. Kazo emerged, dodged the dwarves line of sight as the dwarf looked around, and ended up behind the dwarf. Kazo stood fully, "Why hello!" The dwarf turned around to face Kazo. Kazo continued, "Got room?" The dwarf replied, "Got gold?" Indeed, that was a very rapid response. The dwarf continued, "70 monies, I set the price, that's the end of it." Kazo replied, "Now that's cheap fare!" The dwarf replied, "This ain't a passenger zeppelin... gimme the 70, bring your own food, and meet us back here." Kazo replied, "Sure thing!" Though, he needed no food or water. Kazo decided to test just how greedy the dwarf was... Kazo set down his backpack, fished out 100 moneys, and gave it to the dwarf. The dwarf counted it... then, without giving any indication that anything was amiss, put 70 monies in one pocket, 30 monies in the other. Kazo smiled, "Enjoy! I think I'll just board right now." The dwarf shrugged, "Suit yerself." The dwarf then went back to work. Kazo quieted his laughter as he walked toward the zeppelin. Despite being a soft and in most everyday cases useless metal, gold had always appealed to dwarves for some reason. Kazo entered the zeppelin through a ramp, making his way in with several humans and dwarves. He then found himself in a hallway, the top of which was lined with pipes and electrical cables. Kazo climbed a nearby metal stairwell several stories until he reached a room with windows, which he promptly exited onto an open area in the gondola. He stood there on the wooden floor, wind blowing and rain pouring down as he watched the dwarves, humans, and the occasional kobold work. Rain dripped down from the side of the envelope and the cables around it. They loaded items, unloaded other items, refueled and restocked the zeppelin. Kazo watched, silently observing. It was likely the dwarves were not very fond of the local kobolds, for they didn't bother to stay at all... as soon as they were done packing up, the doors were sealed, the ramp pulled up, and the dwarves taking their posts for flight. Kazo looked up. There was a loud buzzing and whirring, and one of the engines spun up. The whirring then stopped as the engine started, emitting puffs of dark exhaust at first, but as it reached idle, the exhaust evened out. One by one, the engines started.
The zeppelin then began to be pushed along by the wind again, finally taking off. It changed course, and the engines sped up, though not to full power, as it began to move away from town. Kazo smiled and flicked his tail as the airship moved off. It never approached the clouds, rather it stayed under them, flying through the rain. Kazo observed the jungle from above as the airship continued forth. As several hours passed, the dwarves seemed to ignore Kazo for the most part. The airship eventually made it out from under the clouds, proceeding to ascend above the clouds. The wet exterior of the airship soon dried. Kazo lay down and watched the clouds and land move by, letting his mind wander on the subjects brought up by what he saw... though, late in the day, one thing he did see was out of the ordinary...
Down among the forest, a squirrel stopped to view the sunset... then immediately darted away. A heavy engine could be heard as the space where the squirrel once stood was crushed beneath steel treads. The steel clad armored vehicle, armed with no cannon but several large, heavy automatic crossbows passed across the grassy terrain, "MA-53" inscribed on the back of its right side. A steel wedge was mounted on the front, also giving it the slight appearance of a locomotive. Behind it, two lightly armored human troops, wearing broad brimmed hats and carrying long, high-tension non-automatic crossbows followed.
Kazo looked down at the metal vehicle below. For some reason, this otherwise routine patrol had that armored vehicle accompanying it... perhaps crime was more of an issue than previously thought... or perhaps it was a new driver on a training exercise. The zeppelin continued, and eventually the military presence disappeared from sight. Eventually, the sun set. The lights came on across the zeppelin, giving off an orangish-white glow. A few more hours passed, then the lights went out, except for the bridge. Kazo watched as below, the jungle seemed to thin out, and eventually, he could no longer see trees, just the rolling view of grass... but as the night went on, even that disappeared. When the sun rose, Kazo was still laying there. He looked down to find they were now flying over desert. The badlands below were marked by rocky mountains. In the distance, a rather smoggy looking subterranean town was ahead, several smokestacks piercing up from the rock, billowing out various unfriendly gasses. The zeppelin was headed right toward this town, although it was still far in the distance and likely an hour away at least. Kazo looked out among the clouds... as the sun rose, the entire sky seemed to glow, the suns rays scattering at shallow angles across the cloud tops over which the airship drifted. Kazo also enjoyed the desert, for the harsh environment yielded some of the most peculiar life. Though, it seemed he wasn't as lucky with the town he was about to arrive at. At least he would get to see what had become of the dwarves.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I didn't get as far as I hoped, but I don't want to be too tired when writing the next part. Though this was basically rather uneventful travel, the next part should hopefully make up for it.
Hmmm, your description of the zeppelin makes it seem quite large. Kazo had do walk up several flights of stairs, and he was still just in the gondola. How big is this thing, anyway?
Edit: FIRST POST!!
[ February 13, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
Edit: I probably gave the wrong impression when I wrote, maybe i should go back and edit that one part of the update. I hope I didn't actually make it too big.
Edit II: Yeah, I think I probably should've made it 2 or 3 short stories instead of 4, I guess I can change it if people think I should.
[ February 13, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
EDIT: Naw, you should leave it like it is. You described it as a cargo hauler, so it makes sense. On a passenger zeppelin, most of the accomodations would be up inside the envelope squeezed in between the gas cells. on a vessel like this one, most of that room would be used for storage, so the crew/passenger quarters would either get pushed down into the forward gondola, or squeezed into another gondola in the rear.
[ February 13, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
Not really much more to say today.
The airship and its escorts seemed to glide across the cloud tops, the suns rays piercing through to meet the airship and its escorts, bouncing off. Kazo smiled as a powerful wind blew across the platform he was standing on, the roar of the airships engines mixing with the sound of the aircrafts engines. Kazo felt curious as to how the dwarven pilots would react to the unexpected, seeing as, though they were very much unlike their cave adapted brethren, they had likely been used to the same routine for quite a while. Kazo stepped back... then ran forward, leaping off of the floor and into the air, thousands of feet separating him from the ground. Kazo 'shut' his eyes and smiled as he felt the wind pushing him back. CLANK! Kazo landed atop the top wing of one of the nearby aircraft, grabbing hold of the leading edge of the wing. Kazo resumed viewing, and saw the aircraft dip down, then bob back up into formation, the pilot speaking, "What the...?" Kazo snickered, then leapt over the gap to the outermost aircraft, the wind causing his path to be curved. The aircraft dipped, then bobbed back up. The pilot of that aircraft spoke, "Whoa, hey!" Kazo smiled, and leapt back to the first one, the aircraft dipping, and bobbing back up again. The pilot grunted annoyedly. Kazo then leapt again, soaring through the air spread armed, the only force he felt being the wind. Kazo landed gracefully, turned, and stood, waving his tail about. Long-jumping over unreliable gaps was always a fun challenge of accuracy. Kazo thought about the aircraft... why would four aircraft be chartered here? Perhaps he would find out...
... as if on cue, they appeared. Five aircraft emerged from below the clouds, ascending rapidly. Four of them were aircraft that appeared similar to the escorts of the airship, only their wings were directly one over the other, and they had one engine mounted in the front of the fuselage. Their automatic crossbows were linked to the engine mechanically to prevent the bolts from striking the blade. The fifth aircraft emerging was larger than the rest, carried aloft by 3 pairs of wings, pulled forward by 3 engines, one on each side and one on the front of the fuselage. On this aircraft, a dual automatic crossbow was mounted. They were all painted black, their tail fins marked by the laughing skull of a kobold, a red glow in each eye socket. On the larger aircraft, the front was painted to give the image of a grinning shark, ready to devour its prey. Kazo smiled.
This could get interesting!
Indeed, to afford hardware such as that larger aircraft, they must have a very profitable 'business' out here... The dark aircraft all aimed and fired simultaneously at one of the four escorts. There was a loud panging as several bolts found their mark. All four escorts' engines roared to full, and they darted forward, the one being fired upon parting from the group. The four small dark aircraft roared by the zeppelin, chasing that single escort up into the air. The escort seemed to be attempting a loop, but this only made things worse. The four pursuers fired all at once, bolt after bolt after bolt sinking itself into the engine of the escort as it reached the top of the loop. The escorts engine erupted in a plume of dark smoke, the propeller ceasing. The escort aircraft then plummeted in a spin toward the ground, a trail of black smoke behind it. The four dark aircraft turned sharply away from one another, regrouping in the opposite direction... much to their dismay to find the three remaining escorts flying right at them full speed. The escorts opened fire and the aircraft were taken by surprise. The dwarven escorts flew a collision course with the dark aircraft, which, along with the flying bolts, caused them to scatter. The escorts used this to their advantage to get behind the dark aircraft, chasing them relentlessly, firing away. The dark aircraft turned sharply, rolled and maneuvered to the best of their ability as their tails and wings were pelted by bolts, but they couldn't shake their pursuers. Meanwhile, the larger of the dark aircraft flew over the top of the envelope, its shark-faced front grinning down menacingly upon the airship below. The dwarves inside of the bridge, already panicking, saw to their horror the dark, tri-winged aircraft take a position immediately above them. PANG! PANG! PANG! The tri-winged aircraft turned away sharply, an escort aircraft buzzing by it, firing until it passed, trailing grey smoke from one of its engines. A dark aircraft, trailing dark smoke, its engine sputtering and putting, passed close to where Kazo was standing, and turned away, firing at the escort. The escort aircrafts damaged engine burst into flame... the escort went into a flat spin, and a few moments later, a tank on the side of the aircraft exploded, blowing both wings off and sending the aircraft into a tumble toward the ground. Kazo looked up... Another escort aircraft was pointed straight down, diving right at the dark aircraft. The escort fired, and as the dark aircraft pulled up, its already heavily damaged engine burst into flame. The dark aircraft flipped and fell backwards, the escort zipping downwards, and pulling up, turning to face the tri-winged aircraft that was now turning to face the front of the airship.
Kazo saw the crew of this aircraft... the pilot of the tri winged aircraft was a kobold, wearing a tied down top hat and wearing a grin, a deep scar across his cheek. Three accomplices sat behind him, crossbows ready. The escort opened fire, shortly after, all three of the passengers within the large dark aircraft fired their personal crossbows at the escort, 2 of them missing. The two remaining dark aircraft, both trailing dark grey smoke, the engines sputtering occasionally, one trailing a stream of leaked fuel, dove down and rolled in the air as they fired at the escort. The escorts engine sprang several new streams of grey smoke, and the cockpit became rather bloodied. The two dark aircraft pulled up in opposite directions as a limp body fell from the now uncontrolled escort aircraft. The last escort pulled up sharply, chasing one of the two remaining small dark aircraft, the dwarven pilot yelling as she fired. Meanwhile, the airship was futily yawing to and fro in an attempt to dodge... the tri-winged dark aircraft fired its dual crossbow into the gondola of the airship, specifically targeting the bridge, breaking the glass and sending bolts throughout the bridge. Some of the dwarves took cover... some of the dwarves drew their crossbows and fired at the aircraft despite the bolts whizzing by. The tri-winged aircraft pulled up, and roared by, banking to turn for another pass. Meanwhile, as the last escort fired upon its target, said target slowed, and pulled up sharply enough to lose the escort, rolling right side up afterwards, the escort flying high up, then coming back down... but then her target had just pulled up as well, and was now about to start targeting her. The second smaller dark aircraft turned and fired as it ascended. The other aggressor fired as she fired at it, and with bolts coming from two directions, her aircraft was further pelted all over. One of her engines ceased, and engulfed itself in black smoke. The escort aircrafts fuel tanks leaked a trail of smoking fuel, flame visible on the wing. The dwarven pilot used her one remaining engine to spin the aircraft in an intentional flat spin, firing as well as she could at the dark aircraft immediately behind. All but one of the bolts missed... and that one bolt lodged itself right into a vital component. The dark aircrafts engine violently ceased with a loud BANG! The last escort aircraft's fuel tank spewed flame for a moment, then the entire aircraft blew apart, some of the parts leaving individual trails of smoke as they trailed downward. At the same time, the dark aircraft was falling from the sky...
This left only one heavily damaged small dark aircraft, the tri-winged dark aircraft, and the airship. The larger aircraft descended upon the gondola, now thoroughly pincushioned by the aircraft's dual crossbows. The large aircraft held steady just above the gondola, and the three passengers tossed ropes over the side of the aircraft, sliding down, crossbows drawn, and landing upon the top of the gondola. The aircraft then drew away afterward. The three kobolds boarded through the broken windows, finding the dead bodies of several dwarves on the bridge laying in pools of blood... one with a bolt through the head, another with one bolt through the chest, one through the leg. A dwarf sprung out from behind one of the control panels, but before he could fire, one of the kobolds loosed a bolt. The bolt spun through the air, and struck the dwarf in the head, killing him before he could fire. Two of the three scouted the bridge and proceeded back, the other proceeding out, to find Kazo. This kobold immediately fired at Kazo, the bolt striking Kazo in the head, and ricocheting off. The powerful hit caused Kazo to step back a bit. It actually stung some... his adamantine was slightly dented by the impact. Kazo was tempted to retaliate, but this kobold might be a valuable source of information on the state of the west. Kazo spoke, "I think we should talk first!" The kobold replied, "... what the hell?!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was done late at night, and stretched even later into the night, so I hope I did a decent job on the combat. If not, at least this would be relatively simple to redo.
"This is an aluminum beyond quality award.
It mences whit spikes of steel.
It is encrusted whit pigtail cloth.
on the item is an image of a fighter aircraft and a cargo zeppelin in pigtail, the fighter aircraft is laughing, the cargo zeppelin is making a submissive gesture.
On the item is an image of a kobold and a dwarf, the kobold is shooting th dwarf."
This might be short for various reasons...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The kobold stood, unsure of what to do, "What the f*ck are you?!" Kazo replied, "I'm adamantine!... Well, the outside of me is anyway. I think I'll just watch you for now." The kobold looked both ways, "... stay out of the way then." The kobold ran off, Kazo following at a distance. Below there was the sound of twanging, grunts, and the occasional yell. Kazo followed the kobold down the stairwell, to the bottom of the gondola where the dwarves were likely guarding their valuables. The kobold was reloading the crossbow. He followed the kobold through a hallway... the bodies of two dwarves were seen here, one shot in the back of the head, the other shot through the back of the neck, neither having been able to draw their crossbows. The kobold turned and fired down a hallway. A moment later, the kobold jumped away as a bolt zipped by and embedded itself in the wall. The kobold hid behind the corner and ratcheted back the bow, loading a new bolt... it seemed the complex mechanisms improved reload time and draw strength. Kazo stay hidden against the wall, slowly moving toward the kobold. Kazo then snuck across the hallway, peeping down the other hall. The kobold finished reloading... and so did the dwarf guarding the heavy door. The kobold moved, aiming down the corridor, and firing at the dwarf. The bolt zipped over the dwarfs head, missing. The dwarf fired, the bolt striking the kobold in the shoulder, becoming firmly lodged. The kobold grunted loudly, and retreated back behind the corner. The kobold looked at it, and yelled out as he pulled the bolt out. The kobold then grunted loudly, looking around the corner for a moment to throw the bloody bolt back at the dwarf, then retreating behind the corner again. The kobold loaded another bolt, shaking a bit as he did so. When the bolt was loaded, the kobold moved from behind the corner again, firing a bolt at the dwarf. The dwarf was about to jump away from the bolt... THUD! The dwarf looked down, and saw the bolt protruding from his chest... the dwarf yelled, and ran toward the kobold. The kobold hid... and as the dwarf ran by the corner, he smacked the dwarf in the face with the butt of his crossbow. The dwarf smacked the kobold in the face with the butt of his crossbow. The kobold bashed the dwarf in the gut, causing the dwarf to bend over. The kobold then backed the dwarf in the back of the head, knocking the dwarf over, then brought his crossbow down again on the back of the dwarfs head, causing a cracking sound to be heard. The kobold exhaled slowly, shaking quite a bit, a moment later, taking out a flash and drinking deeply from it. The kobold then walked down the hall... the bodies of two kobolds and 4 dwarves lay limp upon the ground. The kobold opened the door at the end of the hall... behind it was a room full of crates. The kobold chuckled, blood dripping down from its wounds... there were no dwarves in that room, in fact, the only sound he heard was his own breath and the roaring of wind and engines.
The kobold began to walk back toward the stairs, taking off his shirt and using it to dress his wounds. Kazo followed as he ascended the stairs, the kobold reaching the bridge and sitting at the controls... though the airship was designed for a crew compliment of 9, it could still be navigated from one station... the dwarves always had a knack for linking mechanisms over long distances to a single control. The kobold turned the airship, and flew away from the dwarven town in the distance, the remaining dark aircraft following the now 'reclaimed' airship. Kazo stood next to the console. The kobold noticed Kazo, "You'd better not make trouble for us... me." Kazo smiled, "I'll just watch. Where are we headed now?" The kobold replied, "Steelflame." Kazo asked, "So we're not going to Shadedports?" The kobold replied, "Shadedports' a dump full o' wannabe a*sholes who can't tell their **** from a hole in the ground... not like there's much of a difference. Besides, Nefarious is on good terms with us. We don't like the military either." Steelflame... it seemed to be a very interesting mixture of the forces of good and evil. Kazo couldn't wait to visit it! Kazo continued walking behind the chair, "So how've things been going?" As the kobold turned to look at Kazo, Kazo ducked down, and quickly snuck behind the console, the kobold unaware of this. Kazo stood from behind the console, startling the kobold who suddenly realized Kazo had changed places. The kobold spoke, "None o' yer business." Perhaps revealing himself to the kobold would convince the kobold that he wouldn't be telling everyone? Perhaps it would do just the opposite... perhaps it would do something unforeseen? Kazo smiled, and flipped back his hood, revealing his head. The kobold was surprised, and for a few moments, speechless. Kazo spoke, "I insist! How's the trade been?" The kobold snapped out of it, and replied, "Erm... well... Ok, this is actually only the second time we've made off with one. Planes are expensive but an airship and its cargo'll buy just about any airplane. Our 'business' is growing, but we might end up gettin' unwanted attention from the military soon... happy?" Kazo smiled, "I think so! Thanks!" Kazo walked to one of the broken windows, wind blowing throughout the bridge. The kobold sighed and grunted, pressing his hand against his wound. Kazo would offer to heal him, but he was actually curious if the kobold would pass out before reaching Steelflame or not.
The airship continued on, over a mountain range, eventually approaching a subterranean town with wooden buildings outside of it, railways connecting to it, a prominent, large hydroelectric dam in a large river that stuck out from the surrounding desert, and a tall tower at the top of a cliff. The airship approached the tower, lined up alongside of it, then moved alongside it. The aircraft turned away, lining up with the strip, descending, and slowing. One at a time, the aircraft landed, a plume of dust trailing behind their tires as they did so. Kazo looked ahead... the airship was approaching a docking tower it seemed. It slowed, and eventually, was captured by the tower and its structure, the door of the top of the tower and the door of the side of the gondola matching up. The kobold moved to a different control panel, and shut down the engines... even though that likely had been a few hours, the kobold still remained conscious and active. It perhaps was a benefit of a hard life... being tough. Kazo looked out of the broken window, down the cliff and at the railway and wooden buildings... he had arrived in Steelflame, and was eager to investigate how the society within operated, and was eager to speak with their leader 'Nefarious'. They were said to be advanced... perhaps, just maybe, they would be of help in providing fuel? Maybe they would know someone who could help? This alone was worth visiting for, but Kazo felt curiosity drawing him into the town as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah, it ended up short. I was tired at the end... ah well, this shouldn't be an issue on the weekends.
Although I must admit, you made Kazo come across as a little bit.. cruel, at times. Waiting to see if the kobold would bleed out instead of helping him? I dunno, that seems like a stretch, even for Kazo...
Ah well, still awesome.
Edit: FIRST POST!!
[ February 14, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
Actually, Kazo's waiting to see if the kobold would pass out or not. Once the kobold passed out he'd probably help him. He's probably going to offer to help him anyway since they arrived.
I like this raptor.
Ugh, I ramble on waaay too much.
Also, keep in mind who created him.
[ February 15, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
KAZO IS JUST SO... KAZO! :D
One need a special kind of mind to have that kind of curiosity.
If true science had a face, it would be the one of an admantine raptor.
Kazo opened it, and entered a large, circular room, the walls covered in masterful engravings, masterwork furniture present, and at the center, 4 columns, between which lay a masterwork wooden bed, and upon this bed lay what appeared to be quite literally a demonic kobold... quite a beautiful one indeed... Even Kazo took a moment to admire such beauty. She lay with a book open, reading it with glasses on her face, the bottom of her muzzle resting upon her hand. Kazo walked up to her, "So I take it you're Nefarious?" She looked at Kazo and smiled with an expression that seemed to somehow simultaneously convey mischief and menace, as well as a welcome... She spoke, "So I take it you're new 'round here. Yep I'm Nefarious, and for a few good reasons too!" She set the book down, took off her glasses, set them on the book, then sat up. The book was titled, "A brief history of steam gadgetry." Kazo noticed that there was the monochrome image of familiar, old markings on walls... they had been long ago burned into the wall by intense radiation, and the image showed the results of a much more recent excavation, unearthing the heat-engravings from their obsidian filling. Kazo looked closely at this... a lot of discussion and argument was detailed regarding historical facts. Nefarious spoke, "Yeah, even I gotta admire the guy, my mom said he's the one who released her... cheated 'er outta one hell of a bargain somehow. Nobody knows what happened o'er there either, 'specially what happened to him and how those engravings got there the way they were. They just proved it a year ago that it ain't carved out, but if it ain't natural or done by hand, well I dunno what happen'd. So what are ya here for?" Kazo replied, "Information! And fuel... information about this fuel helps too! I need a special kind of fuel, one that's radioactive." She replied, "Talk to Rostus south of 'ere. He's the only one around that works with that 'radioactive' crap, and I dunno what he did, but thanks to him the military's gone put a ban on all civilian pitchblende trade, like I give a sh*t. I still sell the stuff to him anyway. He's kinda funny in the head if ya ask me though. Fun guy to talk to!"
Kazo commented, "Thanks! You're the most helpful demon I've ever seen." She replied, "You're a decent guy, and I'm only half demon. My mom got screwed over and took it out on me, and that's why I killed her. I came here and started messing up all the little corrupt systems they and even Armok had in place. It's a big f*ck you to my mom, a big f*ck you to demonkind, and a big f*ck you to Armok. It's paid off one hell of a lot too!" She then lay back on her bed in the middle of this luxurious room. She continued, "The people here love me so much they asked me to ask them to make it." Kazo smiled, "I see. I'm curious, what did you say to anger the religious people?" She replied, "So what if I called their god a **** ****-********** **** who **** **** little boys up the ***? They deserved it! And it was fun too, can't forget that!" Kazo snickered, "You have a very colorful vocabulary!" She yawned, "Yep." Kazo spoke, noticing her becoming tired, "I think I'll just go meet this Rostus. Thanks!" She snickered, "Have fun with 'im." Kazo waved, and then left. He had this town to explore, and after that, he would have an opportunity to meat one of the most fa-... infamous... members of the scientific community of that day. Perhaps he could strike a deal to get some more fuel?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I kept getting the feeling I wasn't really portraying Nefarious properly, but it's meant to be so she's only nasty towards the people that piss her off.
And yes, I know it's short... I don't want to write when I'm really tired and risk messing stuff up.
meh... can't read right now...
[ February 15, 2008: Message edited by: Reign on your Parade ]
I'd better not summon Nefarius if I ever get lucid dreams to work, I think. Err, why do I say this on a public forum? *flushes* That might end horribly... inconveniently. My ultimate hatred for all humans have long saved me... I can only hope my shielding is species independent, or that my lack of knowledge about kobold autonomy might save me. I am sickening myself by even realizing there is a threat of something happening. Forget that I ever said this, it is just a joke or embarrassing bluntness.
HOW CAN YOU KEEP COMING UP WHIT ALL THESE AWESOME CHARS??? :D
And I love the idea of good demons, there is really NO Always Chaotic Evil races in your stories, not even DEMONS, and thats awesome! :D
She is actually fairly chaotic... although I guess you might say she's good in a cruel way, if that makes any sense at all.
[ February 16, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
(Do I say thanks TOO much? Prob'ly not.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo walked back through the hallways, in the general direction of the cliff face. He noticed that traffic was disappearing from the halls... likely, as the sun had been up for several hours now, they were retreating home for time alone and rest. Eventually, he came across a doorway near an intersection that was actually a double-door, surrounded by masterfully made art in silver, curved rays shooting out from the frame. Kazo entered the double door, and found himself within a large tavern, far to the back, an opening to the outside was visible, an artificial waterfall pouring down creating mist for those sitting nearby to enjoy. Steel grates with spikes sticking up from them allowed water through... but should an unwelcome guests enter through the waterfall, they would find themselves stuck in the waterfall to the amusement of the townsfolk.
There was a bar toward the rear left corner of the tavern, and behind the bar, a goblin was washing out an obsidian mug. Kazo approached, and spoke, "Why hello!" The goblin replied, "'sa bit late, we're s'pposed to be closed." Kazo asked, "So why aren't you out pillaging random dwarven forts?" The goblin replied, "I tried'a kill the king when me and my bunch sieged last, and it didn' work. I made an escape an' ended up out here. Bein' the bartender ain't as good as bein' a king but it sure beats bein' dead!" Kazo smiled, "I see! What do you serve here?" The bartender replied, "New 'ere eh? We always got gnomeblight on tap. 's the only place around that's got the stuff." Kazo asked, "So I take it this 'gnomeblight' isn't your average drink then?" The bartender responded, "You been livin' under a rock the last thousand years?" Kazo snickered, "Close!... So what is it?" The bartender replied, "It's the best damn stuff ever to show up on this 'ere world. Go figure the government went'n banned it. Just means more trade from the guys at Shadedports, they love runnin' the stuff, pretty profitable too! Favorite among the pirates, and a favorite around here. Just watch out for the crap stuff. We make the real deal here, but that's cause the military cops are afraid of Nefarious. Other places, people make crap fake stuff in their basements, an' it'll REALLY poison ya." Kazo snickered, "So why do they call it gnomeblight anyway?" The bartender continued, having moved through a few mugs already, "Notice there ain't no more gnomes anymore? The stuff was invented by the kobolds back in the day... 300s I think it was. It was an instant cash factory for the kobolds, a specialty of theirs. They sold barrel after barrel after wagon-full-o'-barrels to the gnomes, who couldn' get enough a' the stuff. None of em knew the stuff messed with the gnomes down there, if ya know what I mean. They all ended up shootin' duds! A few generations later, no more gnomes! Hah!" Kazo spoke, "Extinctions... they happen once in a while! So why did the government ban it?" The bartender answered, "The official reason 's 'cause it corrupts the young and makes people beat their spouses. Fat load 'a manure, that is! The unofficial reason's 'cause people could make it at home from the base plant, so the government couldn't regulate it or tax it. They couldn't get any money off it, so now they're tryin' to get rid of it." Kazo replied, "That seems to be a common theme these days. Thanks for the information! Goodbye!" The goblin waved. Kazo waved back, and left, turning down a corner and reaching a main hallway.
He turned left at the intersection, and proceeded up the main hallway toward an exit. To his side, he saw the entrance to a now empty obsidian-lined arena, quite vast actually, windows overhead and rows of seats leading down to the flat arena in the center... though it appeared there were a variety of devices surrounding the arena, likely to modify and manage the environment at the center. Kazo continued on, reaching the exit. There was without a doubt more to explore, but he expected he would be paying this site several visits. The hallway ended at a steel gate, open, that led outside to the desert. It was the middle of slate, but even in this season the badlands were quite hot. Luckily, Kazo was immune to 'standard' heat and cold. As Kazo approached, he noticed the guard by the gate. The guard was actually... a snakeman? This snakeman was clad in steel armor, equipped with a masterwork steel sword, not a half-sword the police use, a real sword, and a masterwork steel crossbow with ratchet-and-sliding-gear mechanisms. As Kazo approached, he noticed the snakeman leaning on a wall... he was holding a rock, and smiling. The snakemans tongue flicked in the air, and he promptly placed the rock against his face and started petting it, happily mumbling at it and grinning. The snakeman was startled to see Kazo, and immediately stood at attention, hiding the rock behind himself. Kazo snickered, "That's an adorable rock!" The snakeman grinned and stood tall. Kazo exited. Then, he looped up to see another guard standing on a high perch in the shadows of the cliff face. This guard was a kobold, dressed in a black robe over leather armor. Unlike most kobolds, he had grey fur and a long beard. He had a bow, rather than a crossbow. This odd kobold watched Kazo as Kazo walked away from the gate. Kazo passed by a few wooden buildings, windmills, and a trade depot. Within these few buildings were mostly storage equipment and vehicle maintenance equipment, notably at the landing strip. Kazo walked around the strip, and started noticing peculiar patterns in the dirt around the strip, as well as a second runway placed intersecting the first in a very odd position. Kazo snickered... the second strip was a very short strip, ending abruptly right at the cliff face. Right next to it, in large dirt-path writing meant to be visible from the air, the words "I bet you 2000*!" were written. Kazo smiled. Perhaps there were more of these oddities scattered about? The next time he visited, he made a goal, he would find the others.
Kazo walked away from that town headed south. He looked around, smiling at the cacti, the dirt, and the tough creatures that inhabit them. Kazo hopped into the river, swam across, and then continued on across relatively flat terrain, a small mountain ahead in the distance. Kazo walked toward the small mountain, and after several hours of walking, found himself eventually ascending it. This slowed him down, but not by much. He often simply leapt up from one level to the next, allowing him to progress much more rapidly. As Kazo walked and climbed, the sun moved through the sky. He hopped from one rock to the next up a large red rock formation, climbing to the top, and continuing further, eventually reaching the summit. Kazo looked down at the steep, rocky incline, a small town of wooden buildings in the distance beyond it. Kazo grinned, waved his tail about, then jumped up, landing on the steep slope and sliding down it, faster and faster.
He grinned and ducked down, a trail of dust in the air left behind him. He steered himself toward a rock formation jutting out, crouched down further, then leapt into the air as he launched off of it. He spun in the air, and let himself plummet, drifting gracefully over a chasm, and landing smoothly on another slope. He guided himself toward the town, but launched off of another outcropping, doing a back flip in the air over a flat area of sharp rocks, landing again on another steep slope. Kazo grinned, and leapt off of another outcropping, walking on the air... though as he came down, his foot brushed against a patch of grass, but the other didn't causing him to spin as he slid. As his back was turned, he was about to leap up and reestablish himself, but his foot was cought by a larger than usual rock. Kazo stumbled, and fell onto his side, though his body kept sliding. Kazo spun, and ended up tumbling as he attempted to right himself. He tumbled right off of another outcropping, spun through the air, and faceplanted the rocks below. He slid for a ways, rocks piling up over him, leaving a trail of scraped dirt behind him. Eventually, he came to a stop, his upper body and head covered in rocks, his lower body bent upwards, the tip of his tail nearly at the back of his head. A moment later, his lower half fell to the ground. He stood, feeling rather sore from it all, and shook off. He felt himself, and found some more of his face was now scratched a little. Kazo again found himself embarrassed about his weakness, balance compensation, but he found it in himself to snicker. Unexpected results were always an amusing twist. Kazo sat, and rested for a bit, focusing his energies upward, repairing his slightly damaged head. When that was done, he smiled, ran down the slope, and resumed sliding down it. He slid down for a while, eventually reaching dry grass and more level dirt, at which point he began to run rather than slide. It was now after noon, and right ahead lay a small town in the desert, consisting entirely of wooden buildings, a dirt path leading in and out of it. Here he would meet Rostus... Kazo thought, there was a chance Rostus could actually be quite a bit like him... there was also a chance Rostus could be virtually the opposite. Kazo eagerly looked forward to meeting this person, and the chance of getting fuel was a bonus as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I get the feeling I may not have gone into enough detail at some points. At least that's easy to fix if that's the case. I actually ended up deep in thought quite a few times writing this too.
[ February 16, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Hilarious. :D
Edit: FIRST POST!!
[ February 16, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
The grey bearded guard likes lungfish, thanks for including my little idea AlanL! :p
And Kazo == awesome!
Heh, it was a good idea, very original character, so I figured I might as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo ran across the hot dirt of the badlands... there was a small stream ahead. Indeed, that small town was surrounded by several farms irrigated by it. If it weren't for the stream, these lands wouldn't be farmable at all. Kazo slowed as he entered the dirt path leading into town. The farms weren't growing food really, rather cash crops such as various dye plants to sell to traders that either came by automobile or by wagon. There were a few wooden buildings near the center, the rest of the area was occupied by several farms, irrigated by channel, two prominent windmills shared by the farms. In the distance, upstream, were two livestock ranches. Kazo walked down the dirt path between two farms, entering the center of town. The townsfolk mostly lived near their part of the farm, the buildings at the center serving only as storage and equipment maintenance sheds... apart from a tavern near the very center. Kazo walked into the center of town, and looked around... nearby, there was a small automobile, rather oddly shaped with fabric housing the top, sides, and rear. On each side of the hood, a hemispherical headlight was mounted. It seemed this was the only automobile in town... there were a few wagons to be seen, although the horses to go with them were back in the stables. What was happening to the automobile was a plain reminder of one of the disadvantages of self-powered land vehicles. The horseless wagons were going nowhere... but two young kobolds were at the automobile, one digging around in the engine, hood open, another behind the automobile, getting ready to push it. Kazo snickered and watched. He had never seen such a vehicle before... what would they do to it to accomplish their goals? Would they get away? The kobold at the engine finished what she was doing, slammed the hood shut, moved a lever inside of the vehicle, and then joined her accomplice at the back of the vehicle. They struggled and shoved, gradually causing the vehicle to start moving, the motion spinning the engine within. It was then a loud neighing was heard. A male human on horseback approached the two, and spoke, "What the hell do you think you're doin'?!" The two kobolds fled. Kazo smiled, and continued. Where was Rostus?
Kazo looked around... among the wooden buildings was what appeared to be a small steel hatch on the ground. Kazo immediately began walking toward it. Perhaps it led to a secret location? A hidden room?... It could just as easily lead to a cesspool, but that wasn't the point. Aside from a few humans who seemed to overlook Kazo, the paths were empty. Kazo reached the hatch, and opened it. He found that there was a stairway downwards dug into the dirt, covered in concrete. Kazo entered the stairwell, shutting the hatch behind himself. Kazo continued down the stairway, reaching a door at the bottom. The door was locked... but rather than risk an unnecessary confrontation, he would get through in the conventional manner. Kazo knocked on the door and waited. A few moments later, a small slot on the door opened, a kobold wearing dark steel goggles with black glass lenses looking through.
The kobold spoke, "An adamantine saurian..." Kazo was fully dressed in his coat and pants... how did the kobold recognize him? Why was the kobold not surprised to see him? He would find out soon enough. Kazo replied, "Rostus?" The kobold replied, "Indeed I am. What brings you here?" Kazo replied, "I'd like to buy some radioactives!" Rostus replied, "I see... you've come to the right place then... sort of." Rostus opened the door, and gestured for Kazo to enter. Kazo did so. Inside this subterranean room was rather comfortable living arrangements, separated also into separate other rooms. The interior was dimly lit by electric lamps. Kazo looked back. Rostus wore a rather expensive looking suit, black on top, with a barely noticeable grey underneath. Rostus also was smoking a cigar. Rostus shut the door and walked up to Kazo. Kazo looked at Rostus, sensing all he could tell about this kobold... yet somehow, he could not tell the will or the tendencies of this kobold. They were somehow masked... Kazo did sense though that, unlike everything else in this world, Rostus was continuously supplied with enough mana to be able to make use of it. Kazo sensed this mana originated from a single location, though wherever it was, it seemed distant. It was then Kazo had noticed that Rostus had done a similar check on him. Rostus exhaled smoke from the cigar, the smoke drifting up over his goggles. Rostus then grinned, "Radioactives can't be sold, and they can't be bought, for I am the only one with the know-how to make use of them. If you bring me a few components I need, I'll see to your fuel issue." Kazo replied, "Sure thing!... So how did you know what I am?" Rostus replied, "You were in a dream of mine recently... I recognized you. I believe you just might be important in my future. Anyhow, first, I require gems. Emeralds especially, but diamonds as well. As many as you can carry. Northwest of here is the remains of an old dwarven mining expedition that was abandoned. They found several pockets, and their equipment is still there. Doubtlessly it will be reclaimed soon, but now is a good time to claim some of those gems."
Kazo spoke, "So why don't you buy the gems." Rostus spoke, "Ah yes, all this... I was heir to a profitable silver mining venture and the fortune surrounding it. Alas, as my mine began to yield less, I was outcompeted by a former company leader of the east, and when a massive cave in occurred, I was forced out of business. Nefarious did something with this leader recently... not sure what, but he hasn't been pestering me ever since. Now, my funds are running low. Though I will use most of the gems, I plan on selling some in order to further fund my project..." Kazo asked, "Project? So what is this project?" Rostus replied, "That is for me alone to know." Kazo would find out anyway sooner or later... though until he got the fuel, it was likely the best idea to stay on this kobolds good side. Otherwise, he would be dooming himself to starving off. Rostus spoke, "Bring back the gems, then we may discuss further." Kazo replied, "Ok, goodbye!" Kazo then left, proceeded up the stairs, then exited back onto the dirt path. He began to walk northwest, toward a relatively nearby mountain. Kazo noticed the time... it was barely a few hours into the afternoon. That kobold being awake during this time of day was the equivalent of a diurnal creature being awake at 2 in the morning. Why did this kobold act in such a way? How did he know these things? Where did that mana come from? Kazo questioned whether this kobold was benevolent or destructive. Who benefited from his actions? He had arrived curious as to the nature of Rostus... and left only ever more curious.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yet again I waited too late and ended up tired... maybe it's become a habit.
I am fully sure that this is an awesome story like all the rest but the huge blocks of text make my eyes cry in the corner. Could you perhaps get some fan art or something to make it easier to read?
DO WANT!!
Hmm, I'm starting to think my mega-paragraphs habit comes from writing AP essays at school where you're supposed to talk about absolutely everything you can think of.
[ February 17, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Doing the giver-of-generic-quests-that-knows-everything are we? :p
I didn't expect this universe to support prophetic dreams...
It is still just as awesome!
Thanks though :)
I keep pushing this late. Perhaps now that this has become more of a standard hobby, I'm finding things like school and meetings to impose a further reaching barrier on things. Maybe some time soon I should just do this earlier in the day.
At least this gives me a chance to try to work with smaller paragraphs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo thought about it as he walked... if Rostus was the only one capable of making use of radioactives, what was he doing with them? It seemed he had no reason to be destructive... perhaps this project of his was an invention he was planning on restoring his fortune with? Perhaps. Kazo would find out sooner or later.
Kazo continued northwest, along a dirt path toward the mountains. There was one point where the stream approached the side of the path, and after that, a small cattle farm. Kazo saw a human and a kobold near a bull, trying to contain the visibly annoyed and short fused creature. The bull voiced it's annoyance, "Mooh... MOOH!" It was likely the bull was fed up with it all and had about had it... Kazo continued walking, but continued to watch. The bull gored at the door it was being contained behind. The human and kobold struggled and yelled at eachother. WHAM! The door flew open, and the bull leapt out... it looked the human right in the eyes, its face expressing hatred. The human ran away. The bull gave chase, and the kobold chased the bull.
The bull rammed the human, its horns digging into the humans rear end, sending the human flying face first into the ground, yelling. The bull kicked the human, then turned to face the kobold. The kobold froze in place. The bull kicked up dust and snorted, "MoooOOOOOOOHH!" The kobold darted away as the bull ran towards him. The kobold hopped the fence and ran toward a wooden building nearby, muttering obscenities as he climbed a ladder. The bull gored the fence, gored it again, sending wood into the air, then gored it again, finally breaking it.
The bull ran out from the enclosure toward the building, ramming the ladder and breaking it. The kobold held on to the remaining top rung, legs dangling below. The kobold struggled to pull himself up. Meanwhile, the bull decided to vent its anger on anything it could find. There was a small statue in the process of being made near the wooden building. The bull rammed it and kicked it, cracking it and toppling it. The bull then ran forwards, goring a pile of clothes and kicking it on his way though, sending clothes everywhere. The bull then reached the stream, and ran onto a bridge, where it started ramming parts of the bridge, kicking and goring through the structure it stood upon, sending wood into the water. Eventually the bridge collapsed. The bull fell into the water, and never resurfaced.
The kobold, having made it atop the overhang, lay there, and yelled an obscenity out for all to hear. Kazo laughed, and continued on his path. It was obvious one of the two was inexperienced, or perhaps somewhere along the line, one had made a serious mistake... likely both. In general, messing with an animal several times your size is a serious mistake anyway. But why did the bull act like that? It was almost unheard of for any animal to throw a tantrum. Perhaps it was a quirk of the animals personality... the animals were individuals too, after all.
Kazo continued onwards toward the mountain. He noticed a small, plain entrance to a tunnel dug out. It almost looked like the entrance to a cave. Kazo ascended the slope, eventually reaching the entrance. As he approached he heard a slight rumble and a grinding noise. Kazo looked around... nothing was moving, not even inside. Perhaps there was a machine that was still running within? Kazo entered, keeping an eye out. It was all rough hewn tunnels, though a lot of it was drill marks rather than the mark of pickaxes. Kazo continued down into the tunnel. It forked, and Kazo chose the path to the right. Soon after, as if it had all been set up for him, he found a large outcropping of emeralds, a pickaxe leaning on the wall next to it, a small drill in the alcove before it.
Kazo looked at the drill. It had several hoses coming from it, connected to nothing, likely where there was once a power source. It was liquid cooled, although those hoses were disconnected as well. It seemed this expedition was once well equipped. Why had they left? Whatever it was, they didn't have the time to mine out these valuable emeralds... Kazo took up the pickaxe, and began digging out emeralds, finding diamonds behind them. What luck... or rather, what an odd coincidence. Kazo dug out the gems, and though they were raw, they could be cut when he got back. He stuffed the raw gems in his backpack whenever he had unearthed a significant amount. Eventually, he had all that he could stuff in his backpack. Then, he unearthed a large blue diamond rough gem. He held it and smiled at it.
Blue diamond was one of the most special gems in existence, fittingly also one of the rarest. As magic had advanced, back in those days of the ancients, rarer gems were needed for more complicated constructions. It started with simple rock crystal, adventurines, red spinel... after the invention of the power crystal, the use of emerald and ruby became widespread, along with sapphires. As adamantine came around, and eventually some of the first real use of molecule-scale magic, blue diamond began to have serious use... Arkus often considered Kazo the most advanced construct to stroll the face of that world, and in this light, Kazo's blue diamond heart served as a reminder. Kazo still did miss Arkus...
Kazo looked into the gem as he exited the tunnel he had created. The grinding and rumbling had persisted, and now, it was getting louder and louder. Kazo looked around... the sound actually seemed to be approaching. The grinding especially became quite loud when Kazo noticed a nearby wall starting to form cracks. Somebody else was also digging tunnels... Rostus has said the mine was abandoned! Perhaps another person was also making an opportunistic dig? At least, Kazo's question regarding the source of the noise would soon be answered.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I keep getting the feeling I'm going too slow.
First POST!
"This is a gold Beyond Quality award.
It is encikled whit spikes of silver.
It mences whit spikes of magnetite.
On the item is an image of a rough blue diamond in dimpelcup dye."
Yea, maybe a bit slow. But not that it's unbearable.
Sorry about this... I have no time to write an update tonight. I had to attend a family event and it lasted 1.5 hours longer than I had expected. That and homework means not enough time left over. It happens... I'm just glad it doesn't happen often.
The dwarf let out a loud grunt, then a yell of anger and frustration. A moment later, the dwarf started the drill again and drove toward Kazo. Kazo immediately recognized the situation... another interesting challenge to overcome! Kazo stood for a moment, thinking of what to do... he did not want the gems to be destroyed. Kazo placed the gems in the corner, and ran to the other wall, the dwarf following him and aiming the drill right for him. Kazo backed against the wall, and just before he would've been cought between the drill and the wall, he leapt up. The drill dug into the wall. Kazo clung to a small beam near the ceiling of the tunnel, climbing forward on it, trying to pick a spot on the vehicle to drop down to. Kazo aimed for the hatch, very near the front... perhaps he could rip the dwarf from his seat and 'negotiate' with him in person.
The dwarf stopped the drill. As Kazo dropped down, the dwarf quickly accelerated in reverse, causing Kazo to land on the front of the drill instead. Kazo drew his hand back... he could still disable the drill. He was about to thrust his claws into the mechanisms of the drill, when a loud hiss was heard right under him. The drill began to spin with Kazo on it. Kazo found himself flung from the drill in a fraction of a second. He was flung upward, catching himself as he landed on the ceiling... but the slight pause of disorientation from being spun and flung resulted in him missing a chance to push off. He fell right back down, landing on the drill. Kazo was catapulted to the side, sparks being sent up from the grinding of steel on adamantine. Kazo landed upon the wall, looked back at the machine, then leapt back off of the wall.
The dwarf yelled again, turning to face Kazo as Kazo ran back toward the machine. The machine accelerated toward Kazo, Kazo toward the machine. Kazo leapt up, drawing his legs up and steering with his tail as he drifted over the top of the drill, landing on the top of the cabin. Kazo grabbed the top of the hatch with his free hand, and tried to open it, but noticed it was locked. Kazo stood near the hatch, holding the handle, sliding a claw into the small gap between the hatch and its mount, searching for the latch. When he found it, he sent an arc of energy through it, heating the metal to the point it began to be pliable. After the sparks settled, Kazo began to leverage the hatch open... then suddenly, the hatch flung open.
A small red cylinder flew out from the cabin below, striking Kazo in the nose and continuing upward, leaving a trail of smoke behind it. Kazo saw the dwarf below, yelling furiously. Kazo reached down, and grabbed the dwarf by the shirt, pulling him up out of the hatch. Kazo yelled, "WHAT'S Y-" BOOM! An explosion knocked Kazo forward, the dwarf going with him, off of the top of the cabin, and down to the floor. Kazo shook off, but as he got up, he was knocked back down on his belly by the blow of a hammer to his back. The dwarf yelled again, drawing back the hammer. Kazo put one foot under himself, and leapt up, blocking before he had landed, the momentum of the blow knocking him a step or two back in midair. Kazo landed, then leapt at the dwarf, spinning, the dwarf unsuccessfully attempting to dodge as Kazo swing a kick at the dwarfs head. The dwarf was knocked a few steps to the side, blood sent onto the wall as Kazos claws dug through the dwarfs cheek. Kazo landed and spun on the ground, swinging his tail at the dwarf. The dwarf leapt back, stumbled slightly, grunting loudly, then moved back toward the now damaged and unmanned mining pod.
The dwarf ran back as fast as he could, Kazo pursuing. Kazo slashed and snapped at the dwarf as the dwarf ran, slashing the dwarfs back, catching the dwarf with his claws and clamping down on the dwarfs shoulder. The dwarf yelled in pain but continued with all his might would allow. Just as the dwarf was about to reach the vehicle, Kazo let go, let the dwarf get a little bit ahead, then jumped forward, sending a powerful kick forward... but the dwarf had jumped away. Kazos kick landed on the rear of the vehicle... the exposed engine and transmission. His foot went into the transmission. Kazo grunted loudly as he felt his foot and lower leg cought up in the gears, the vehicle coming to a stop, sending pain shooting up his leg. Kazo pulled away, but was unsuccessful in freeing himself.
The dwarf drew back and swung his hammer again, his clothes drenched in blood. He hit Kazo on the top of the head. Kazo slashed at the dwarfs face, but the dwarf jumped back, charging back in and swung a blow which glanced away from Kazos arm which blocked it. Kazo let the dwarf draw back his hammer a third time... and as the dwarf brought the hammer down, Kazo swung to the side. The dwarfs compensation for this resulted in him landing a blow on Kazos stuck leg, dislodging it. Kazo pulled his leg out... he found his still stinging foot and leg were quite dented up. Kazo growled, and as the dwarf drew back again, Kazo jumped forward, mostly relying upon his good leg. Kazo landed a powerful punch on the dwarfs nose, knocking the dwarf back a bit, breaking his nose, and causing the dwarf to miss his swing. Kazo didn't want to kill the dwarf... if he did, this confrontation would've likely been much shorter, but still... this was enough playing around.
As the dwarf, already covered in blood and shaking from the pain, stumbling a little, drew back again, Kazo grabbed the dwarfs face and proceeded to shock the dwarf. The dwarf grunted loudly, yelling immediately after, dropping the hammer. Kazo then threw the dwarfs head against a wall, resulting in a satisfying thud, and the dwarf being knocked unconscious. The dwarf slid down the wall, and lay at the edge of the floor, unconscious in a now-forming puddle of blood.
Kazo walked away. He climbed atop the pod, and noticed that there were no gems held within. Perhaps that dwarf had been hunting for the blue diamond alone. Kazo retrieved his gems, and proceeded up the tunnels. When he reached the exit of the abandoned fortress, he sat at the mouth of the tunnel, and began to repair his dented leg. Kazo thought about it... the blows from the dwarfs hammer generally glanced away... what caused actual damage was more advanced machinery. As time went on, perhaps fights would become much more of a threat than a mere fun challenge. Kazo made a note to himself to be more alert and focus more in the future. For a bit longer, Kazo continued... eventually, he heard an odd sound from behind himself. "Mewww!" Kazo looked around. "Meww!" Kazo felt one of his claws warming up... he looked down, and saw a kitten licking the blood off of one of his claws. Kazo smiled. The kitten looked at Kazo, and tilted its head, "Mew?" Something about this kitten made Kazo forget all about his leg for a moment. Kazo grinned, "Kitty!" The kitten nuzzled Kazos hand, hopped into Kazos lap, then climbed Kazos chest. Kazo gently hugged the kitten. The kitten stuck its head out and began to lick Kazos nose, purring. Kazo laughed. The kitten tilted its head, and seemed to smile. Kazo also tilted his head and smiled.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I get the feeling the combat wasn't good enough... or that the dwarf put up too much of a fight. Ah well, if that's the case, next time should definitely be better.
On a side note: KITTY!! :D
I take it this is a sign of more feline intervention to come?
Edit: FIRST POST!!
[ February 20, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
Well, it's actually not really a sign. Keep in mind, the cats are still generally non-sapient at that point.
Kazo DID finally zap someone, but not enough! :)
I think in a lot of cases, I pulled off those interesting combos by evolving them from something simpler.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The kitten mewed again, and climbed up Kazos chest, climbing atop his head, and laying there, purring. Kazo smiled, noticing that even when he felt his leg again, the pain had seemed to diminish without further repairs. Kazo was nearly done anyway. The kitten watched as Kazo finished up. Kazo then stood, and left the tunnels, heading back towards the town. The kitten slid down Kazos back and landed on the backpack, where it proceeded to open it with its mouth, and tucked itself in. Kazo asked, "So kitty, what's your name?" The kitten half-meowed, "Myeln." Kazo asked, "With the M? Or would you like me to call you Yeln?" Yeln replied "Meww!" Then, Yeln began to purr again, and curled up the best he could, taking a nap in Kazos backpack.
Kazo snickered, and proceeded across the desert, waving his tail as he quickly moved. Every now and then he checked to make sure Yeln was OK. Yeln would wake up should something urgent arise anyhow. Kazo traced his way back downstream, quite a long time passing as he traveled. He passed by the cattle farm he had seen earlier, though there was little activity. The sun was beginning to approach the horizon as he eventually approached the town. On the way, he had seen a few coyotes retreating to their dens as the night loomed ahead. Kazo approached town, and entered. The humans were starting to end their day as the sun set, meanwhile, the kobolds were beginning their night.
Yeln awoke, and looked about, choosing to leave the backpack afterwards and walk in front of Kazo. Kazo stopped, "Everything OK?" Yeln looked down at his own gut, then back at Kazo, then at his gut again, then back at Kazo again, "Mewwww..." Kazo replied, "Sure thing!" Kazo then picked Yeln up, holding him against his shoulder, then walked toward a marketplace in the center of town. The shopkeeper seemed to eye Kazo let Yeln down, and walked up to the shop which sold various foods. The human shopkeeper seemed to try to observe everything, as if she had a distrust for anything that looked like a kobold, even if all she could see was the size. She asked, "Are ya gunna buy anything?" Kazo looked at the meat available... there were actually two particular stacks of meat packages that looked completely identical, one priced at 2 moneys per, the other at 3 moneys per. How much attention was the merchant actually paying?
Kazo replied, "I'll just have a look." Kazo browsed in a loop, silently observing the shopkeeper... eventually, Kazo took the opportunity to swap one of the 3-money meats for one of the 2-money ones, simply picking one up, looking at it, and setting it back down in a slightly off position, repeating for the other. The shopkeeper lay back in her chair. Kazo waited a moment, then picked up the 3-money meat he had moved. The shopkeeper spoke, "That'll be 2 moneys." Kazo smiled... her eyes were on everything he did... but her mind was somewhere else. Some shopkeepers can be easier to trick later in the day for this reason... they're tired.
Kazo noticed Yeln carrying a piece of meat in his mouth, free of charge. Kazo snickered, set the oddly priced piece of meat down, and watched Yeln. Yeln tossed the piece of meat around, batted it around, and tore chunks out of it, devouring it ferociously. When Yeln had finished, he walked up to Kazo, licking his lips, and nuzzled Kazos ankle, purring. Kazo sat, letting Yeln scale up him, nuzzle his face, then climb atop his head. Kazo smiled and pet Yeln, "Now you're a cute kitty!" The shopkeeper, looking in a small box, noticed a piece of her dinner missing... "Hey what the heck?"
Kazo stood, Yeln still on his head, and walked away, toward the hatch. Kazo opened it, and entered. Yeln immediately protested upon Kazo shutting the hatch behind himself, "Merm... MEWW!" Kazo replied, "Don't worry, he's only a 4 foot tall canine!" Kazo continued down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he spotted Rostus, laying upon a rather comfortable looking couch. Rostus sat up, then stood, walking toward Kazo. Kazo spoke, "Looks like the mines aren't abandoned really." Rostus replied, "Ah... yes... so the Miner is still there. I apologize for my leaving him unmentioned, I had assumed he had given up by now."
As Rostus finished approaching, Yeln jumped off from Kazos head, and hid under a table. Rostus noticed this, and frowned... only for a moment, though. Kazo emptied the gems onto a different table. Rostus spoke, "Ah, very good." Rostus noticed the blue diamond, "Yes, very good indeed... These are all of the gems I need." Kazo asked, "Is the fuel ready?" Rostus replied, "No... I need one more thing, two if you would be so kind. There are certain... proprietary documents, trade secrets you might say. When my activities gained a certain, shall we say, profile, the military decided to take my papers for themselves. I would like them back, although how you accomplish this is for you to decide. Secondly, in order to gain further funds for my project, I have opted to design a new flash-point spear for the dwarves. It works in the laboratory, but if you should be so kind, a field test would prove its worth much better. You will find the prototype sitting in the rack in the back of the room. I only need to give the dwarves the designs... so your reward would be keeping the prototype."
Although Kazo generally isn't much for weapons, among the weapons the spear was his favorite. Kazo replied, "I'll do both then." Rostus smiled, "Good..." Rostus then walked toward the table under which Yeln as hiding. Rostus bent down, "Come here, little kitte-" Yeln swiped at Rostus, "HSSSS!" Rostus jerked back, "Nevermind then..." Rostus sat back on the couch. Kazo walked over to the table... Yeln immediately climbed out, and hopped onto Kazos shoulder. Kazo asked, "Are you OK?" Yeln mewed slightly, then hopped off, quickly running up the stairs toward the hatch. Kazo walked to the stand, and retrieved the spear... it had a wooden shaft with a steel tip, curved bear the rear of the tip, the top of the shaft consisting of magnetite with copper wire coiled around it, behind which was some sort of device held in a steel drum, mounted on the shaft. It was an interesting design, and was obviously electrical in its effect. Perhaps he could enhance it with his own magic? He would try after the field test. Kazo spoke, "I'll go do that then." Rostus replied, "Good luck." Kazo then left, walking up the stairs, placing the spear between his back and his backpack. Kazo asked himself, why was Yeln so hostile toward Rostus? Rostus had made no indication of ill intent... the military seemed to be oppressive anyway. He even was on good terms with Nefarious. It seemed this kobold was just a particularly secretive inventor of sorts. Kazo had no reason to confront him about anything, but still, why was this kobold so secretive? Kazo would soon have an opportunity to ask.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a feeling that the kittens name isn't perfect, and that something was off about the end... then again, I always find something to worry about.
FIRST POST!
"This is an AWESOME Beyond Quality award.
It mences whit spikes of WIN.
On the item is an image of an magical admantine dinosaur ninja robot mad-scientist and a cat in COOL, the magical admantine dinosaur ninja robot mad-scientist is raising the cat."
Yea, I'm kinda out of ideas for BQ awards...
Ever thought of letting Kazo become a pirate... ? :p
The paragraphs are already mostly short enough. I think people also read the ellipses differently than I do. I use it when I want a pause that's only a little more than a regular period. I'll keep it in mind though.
Oh, and Kazo isn't really much the type for being a pirate. He's not greedy enough :p
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo met Yeln at the very top of the stairwell, crouched between the second-to-top stair and the closed hatch. As soon as Kazo opened the hatch, Yeln exited. Kazo exited as well, shutting the hatch behind himself. Kazo decided that, since he was in an opportune location, he would test the spear first. Who would be his subject? He wouldn't kill anyone, but he would find a way to test the spears effectiveness.
He looked around, and saw a guard armored in leather standing in front of the entrance to a wooden warehouse. Kazo walked over to the guard, and stood a distance in front of him. Yeln walked silently to the corner of the wooden building, and sat, watching. Kazo drew the spear, and flipped a small switch near the forward handle. The spear hummed slightly, the hum vanishing after a second. The guard spoke, drawing his half-sword, "Put that damn weapon away!" Kazo snickered, tilted his head a bit, and gestured to bring it on. The guard scowled, "You want me to MESS YOU UP? PUT THAT THING AWAY!"
Kazo smiled, and moved toward the guard, spear drawn back as if he were going to strike. The first test would actually be defense with it, as Kazo rarely ever swung the first blow. Kazo predicted this would likely result in structural failure of the spear, as the shaft was both thin and wooden, but he would try anyway. The guard smacked the spear to the side, and charged at Kazo. Kazo drew the spear up, ducking behind it in a parry. The blunt side of the sword struck the shaft of the spear between the two grips... SNAP! Kazo backed away one step. He now held a wooden stick with a handle in one hand, and a now shortened, one handed spear in the other. As he had predicted...
Now he would test the power of the weapon... well, the piece he held in his right hand, anyway. Kazo swiped at the guard with it as the guard drew up to swing again. Kazo struck the guard in the lower body. It cut into the leather, but not all the way through. Kazo had intended to do this rather than stab, as he didn't wish to mortally wound the guard. As the guard swung, Kazo drew back. The spear tip touched a metal button on the vest, discharging some of its built up energy through the button. The guard grunted loudly, bending forward and jumping a bit, his swing missing horribly. If Kazo had stabbed through the vest, the entire discharge would've gone right through the guards guts. This spear was actually useful in any situation, as even if a physical point has trouble going through metal plate armor, electricity favors such a medium.
Now, for the sake of his own curiosity, he would test what magic could do on top of it. He decided for this test to allow the electricity to 'ride' within a channel of mana. Kazo stepped back, holding the spear back, and channeled his energy through the spear to the tip, focusing it to the point where the mana began to leak out from the tip. As the guard drew near, Kazo formed this leaked mana into a line between the tip and the guards head, using the mana to break down the air into a more conductive state. Electrical energy arced right from the tip of the spear to the guards head. The guard stumbled forward and grunted again, catching himself from falling over. Kazo noticed the guard was stunned. A tactically effective result.
Kazo held the metal cylinder, and charged the spear with his own energy. Kazo then brought the flat side of the spear down onto the guards head, landing a powerful hit complete with a powerful jolt. The guard yelled, and seemed quite dizzy. The grunted, and with his remaining strength, swung at Kazo again. The blow landed on Kazos side, causing nothing but a clanking sound. Kazo grabbed the guards wrist, and pulled the guard toward himself, kicking the guard in the face as he pulled the guard close. Kazo let go, then kicked the guard in the head again. The guard fell over backwards, unconscious, nose bleeding a bit.
Another guard, standing opposite the center of town, laughed, and spoke, "You dumb s**t!" Kazo noticed this guard was actually referring to the guard Kazo had just knocked unconscious. Rivalry between the guards, perhaps? The other guard wasn't showing any hostile intent. Kazo shut the spear off, then put it away. He held the broken part of the shaft in his other hand. Yeln followed as Kazo walked back to the hatch. Kazo snickered, holding the dull end of the broken shaft above Yeln. Yeln mewed playfully, jumping up and swatting at the end of the shaft, attempting to grab hold of the shaft and bite it on each jump. Kazo moved it around, resulting in Yeln making some rather amusing maneuvers in an attempt to catch it, spinning in the air and tracking it with his head. Eventually, Kazo lowered the piece of the shaft low enough for Yeln to get hold of it. Yeln happily yet ferociously bit into the shaft several times.
This stopped though as Kazo reached the hatch... Yeln opted to stay away from it. Kazo opened the hatch, and descended the stairwell, shutting the hatch behind himself. Yeln waited patiently outside. Kazo walked into Rostus' living room... he seemed to be not there. Kazo looked around. One door that had once been locked was now open. Kazo grinned and waved his tail excitedly as he walked toward the previously secret room. The room was white, several heavy machines encased in steel present against the walls. Rostus was present at one of these machines, wearing a lead suit and heavy gloves, using some kind of mechanical instrument on whatever was inside of the bay of the machine. A part of the machine sticking up on the side blocked Kazos view.
Kazo approached silently, noticing the whitish rays glowing in Rostus' black-glass goggles. Just as Kazo was about to look in, Rostus slid a steel cover shut over the bay of the machine, and looked back at Kazo. Kazo took out the other part of the spear, and held one in each hand, "It works great except for defense. I don't think wood was such a good idea!" Rostus spoke, "Metal shafts are needed... noted. I will have to notify the dwarves that they need to make the grips out of something insulating. I expect at least one of them will make the grips out of metal anyway... I wouldn't want to wield one of those. As promised, you may keep the prototype." Kazo looked at the two broken pieces... Rostus continued, "Now, go and retrieve those documents for me please."
Kazo walked to the machine Rostus was at, and curiously moved to remove the cover. Rostus spoke, "DON'T touch my machines or the deal is off!" Kazo thought about it. He could explore this facility after he had the fuel. Kazo decided against removing the cover, he would do so at a later date. Kazo asked, "Why do you hide everything?" Rostus replied, "Because the technology that I work with is very, well, hazardous, should it fall into the wrong hands. The military especially must never be allowed to gain this technology, and this means your mission to retrieve those documents is all the more urgent. Now go, and return when you have them." Kazo asked, "So why is it dangerous?" Rostus answered, "Because it has great destructive potential." Kazo continued, "Is there something more specific?" Rostus replied, "I pray to the heavens we will never have to find out... now go, this is very urgent, and I trust your capabilities in accomplishing this task."
Kazo replied, "Sure thing! Goodbye!" Rostus spoke, "Best of luck." Kazo then left, putting both parts of the spear away. He would fix it back at Steelflame. If the name had a real meaning, he should have no problem finding a forge with which to make a new shaft. Kazo left the room, and proceeded back up the stairwell. As he exited through the hatch, Yeln mewed excitedly and ran up to Kazo, nuzzling Kazos leg and purring. Kazo snickered and smiled. Retrieving secrets from a military base somewhere... it could prove to be an interesting situation. Kazo loved uncovering secrets and he loved interesting situations. On top of it all, his feline friend might decide to follow him there to witness it.
FIRST POST!
"this is a giant cave spider silk cloth Beyond Quality award, the giant cave spider silk cloth is dyed emerald whit emerald dye.
In the item is an image of a demonic kobold and a magical admantine dinosaur ninja robot mad-scientist in giant cave spider silk cloth, the magical admantine dinosaur ninja robot mad-scientist is speaking whit the demonic kobold, the giant cave spider silk cloth is dyed midnight blue whit dimple cup dye."
Zap! :D
They continued northward for quite a while, leaving the town behind. As they approached the mountains, Yeln stood, mewed, then crawled over Kazo's shoulder, once again opening and taking residence in Kazo's backpack. A few moments passed. Kazo then noticed something placed over his eyes. He heard, "Mew-ew!" Kazo laughed, "Yeln Kitty!" Yeln moved, nibbling on the back of Kazo's head, "Meww!" Kazo snickered.
They continued, eventually reaching the mountain. Kazo saw the trails from his rock-sledding down the side of the mountain... and also the skid marks from when it didn't go as planned. Kazo took a different route up the mountain, carefully ascending as to not disturb Yeln. Kazo climbed up the slopes much more directly than normal still, shortening his travel time considerably. As Kazo was nearing the top, Yeln mewed a few times. Kazo stopped, and looked back. Yeln was leaning against the back of his shoulder, licking his lips. Yeln's mouth did seem a bit dry... Kazo spoke, "I'll look around for some." Kazo continued ascending, looking around for any potential water source.
Eventually, Kazo stood, looking, but Yeln leapt out from the backpack, and moved quite quickly up the slope toward the top. Kazo followed behind Yeln. They quickly ascended to a nearby peak. Yeln stopped at a rock, and began drinking some rain water that had collected there from a rather large formation that seemed to act as a natural rain collector. Likely it had rained soon before. Perhaps it was that season? As Yeln drank, Kazo spotted a previously hidden path down the mountainside. It was small and hard to see from a distance, but it was there. Where did it lead? Kazo was eager to find out, but he would wait for his friend first.
When Yeln was done, he walked over to Kazo, and stood, pressing his front paws against Kazo's leg. Kazo smiled, and Picked Yeln up, Yeln then climbing over Kazo's shoulder, back into the backpack. Kazo walked down the path, gradually accelerating to a bit of a run, smiling. Yeln stood in the backpack, holding his head out, his fur blowing in the wind. Kazo continued on for quite a while, the air cooling as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. Kazo noticed ruins ahead, the ruins glowing slightly due to a fire in the middle. The ruins were tucked in a small valley by an oasis. The road and the ruins seemed to indicate a settlement that should have been abandoned decades ago. The fire seemed to indicate that there were still inhabitants anyway.
Kazo approached these ruins. Whoever was there was at least as stubborn as dwarves... although, the small, dirt path and the stone structures ahead gave the impression that whoever inhabited the ruins didn't have much in the way of technology. A primitive tribe surrounded by these industrial towns? It seemed like quite an interesting phenomena. Likely the thought that drove the two kobolds Kazo spotted toward the ruins. Kazo noticed these kobolds, one carrying a large mechanical camera with lenses and a bag full of assorted equipment, the other carrying a backpack full of film and other assorted equipment.
Kazo snickered. He felt like making an appearance. He asked himself if doing so would actually make them film him as a potential member of whoever it was over there. Where would it end up if they did? Kazo smiled, and changed direction, running toward the two kobolds, tail waving excitedly. As Kazo approached, he overheard the kobolds speaking, "It wun' just pop out in fronna ya you know!" Immediately after, Kazo leapt forward, crossing right between the two kobolds. They yelled and jumped away.
Kazo landed, and looked back as he continued toward the ruins. One of the kobolds spoke, "What the 'ell?" They didn't film Kazo. Rather, they watched Kazo run toward the ruins, and continued towards the ruins themselves. Kazo approached the ruins and entered the outer regions, headed toward the center. He noticed that the further toward the center he got, the less decay was visible on the buildings. The heart of the ruins weren't ruins at all, rather what very well could be the last remaining fragment of what was once a grand city of a copper-age civilization.
Kazo approached the center, and stood upon a ledge above a dug out area, an altar directly below. All around the alter were humans, worshiping it. Kazo thought, these humans must have strength and stubbornness even dwarves would respect. He found himself curious regarding their civilization, why they had opted to remain at such an early state while the world around them industrialized.
Kazo walked around to the rear of this area, and entered down a ramp. As soon as he reached the bottom. The humans slowly turned to watch Kazo. Perhaps they viewed Kazo as nothing but an intruder interrupting their ceremony... They stood and turned to face Kazo. Suddenly, the hood of Kazo's coat was pulled back. Yeln had apparantly been playing with strings dangling from it. The humans, every single one of them in eyesight, gasped simultaneously. Several moments of silence passed. The humans then all bowed to Kazo. Kazo found this rather odd, but then saw why this had happened. Resting upon the altar was a masterfully crafted sculpture of a dinosaur head, made in microline. Kazo held back his laughter, and instead, smiled.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Something tells me the copper-age guys might be a bad idea. I hope not though.
I'm hoping I can do a good job with the guys, if I botch it at least they're not too relevant. I could go back and remove them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The human in front, wearing a necklace adorned with hanging copper and gold designs, spoke, "Ekuru, you have returned!" The humans seemed to, with coordinated motion, raise their heads to look at Kazo.
I think I like this role! It looks like fun! So I guess I'll have to talk differently to suit the role...
Kazo tried to control his emotions, but still waved his tail in a slow, rhythmic motion. Kazo spoke, "I see you have done well keeping your tradition." The human replied, "We do as you wish, Ekuru. Your words are wise, and thanks to your command, the Evil of Blood has not taken notice. We all thank you!" They had been warned about Armok, but by who? Kazo smiled, "I thank you for your loyalty!"
I can't wait to see their loyalty in action! Good thing I don't have to wait!
Kazo continued, "I have seen your cities shrink. Tell me from your point of view. Why has this happened?" The human replied, "We once hunted around this oasis. The whole area was teeming with beautiful animals! Then, for three years, the rains stopped, and bit by bit, the animals left! Only a year later, the mules from the other towns stopped coming. We had no food and we could not farm this soil! We now can only forage. As the mules stopped coming, disease spread among us, eliminating most of our numbers. It was a horrifying sight, but we were determined. When you had spoken to us, told us to found a town at the oasis where the shooting star meets its own reflection, we knew we could never abandon, and even now we never will!"
Kazo spoke, "I always enjoy hearing a mortals view. I am very pleased with your loyalty and dedication." The human spoke, "Oh grand Ekuru, is is an honor to witness your smile. We will forever remain loyal, but we would like to know what had happened to the other towns, to the animals!" Kazo thought of it... likely the issue was food for the animals. As for the towns... Kazo continued, "The stopping of the rains was a part of nature's cycle. The animals sought food elsewhere. The other towns fell to disease. The Evil of Blood was angry with the losses I had caused him. He took out his vengeance with this disease. I did all I could to help, but it still spread faster than I could contain it. Consider yourselves lucky the mules hadn't continued coming. Otherwise, disease might have eliminated all of you. I consider myself lucky to still have such loyal followers still here."
Kazo had no proof, but he somehow felt justified in saying it, a feeling that he was right anyway. The human replied, "We had suspected this, and we thank you for confirming it for us. By your last visit, we may have been alone, but it was 15 years ago when we first spotted these metal beasts that hiss and belch smoke! We stayed far away, but then we saw birds of an odd metal buzzing about overhead. We stay away from these creatures of metal, for that smoke can only be a sign of the Evil of Blood! Odd creatures with these odd tools would set themselves up at the edge of town every now and then over the last 2 years. We don't know what they really do. They just watch us for a while and then leave. We don't know who or what these odd things are. What do you want us to do?"
Kazo replied, "They are mortals of a different region entirely. They build tools and machines capable of doing miraculous things! Some of them are friendly, some of them are not. You must judge for yourselves whether to involve yourself. The power of the Evil of Blood is diminishing, and better times are ahead. This world is becoming something entirely different. The Evil of Blood sees this as nothing but a ruin. This has protected you, but now, his influence diminishes. I leave you free to do as you wish. Whatever you choose, preserve your culture. It is a treasure unique to you!"
The human spoke, "This is excellent news, thank you! We will preserve our culture as long as we stand!" Kazo smiled, "You're welcome. Your nation is a treasure indeed, a unique treasure throughout the world. Now, I must leave again. The Evil of Blood toys with the power of the beasts of metal, and I wish to stop him."
The human replied, "We have always known your power would protect us! Before you leave, we have a humble offering. It is not much, but we do not have much to spare." Another human, wearing a less adorned but still status-indicating attire, brought a small wooden tray with a stone bowl in it up to Kazo, and set it down before him. The bowl had a well prepared piece of meat in it, and laying on the tray also was a golden necklace, quite an old golden necklace, likely of considerable significance. The necklace contained a golden image of a sun and a shooting star. Kazo smiled, "I accept any offering, and thank you for it."
Kazo then put on the necklace, and took up the piece of meat. He bit off much of the meat, saving some. Yeln, who was silently observing from behind Kazo, climbed up onto Kazos shoulder. Kazo looked at Yeln, and tucked the other bit of meat in his mouth. Kazo, his mouth full, waved. The humans bowed. As the humans did so, Kazo held Yeln in his arms and leapt up, landing quietly and smoothly on the ledge above. Kazo snuck away, and headed north.
He spat out the pieces of meat into his hand. Kazo snickered as he saw Yeln immediately snatch the smaller piece and begin eating it. Kazo, being a construct, didn't really have spit, so the meat wasn't effected by being in his mouth. As he watched Yeln eat, he thought about what he had done and what lay ahead. He had likely just altered the course of what was once, what might once again be, a major civilization. Ahead though, the military stood in his way. The military would in all likelihood be an actual threat for once. Kazo smiled and waved his tail around.
That's going to be a fun and interesting set of challenges. I can't wait to see what those challenges will be!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, I'm hoping I pulled that off. If I did, then maybe I could make those guys actually relevant in the future.
I think it wasn't half bad. Of course... now you're obligated to explain their origins. :p
Funny how inspiration works, one moment I'm feeling completely uninspired, where everything's at face value. The next I'm taking notes on what I'm thinking up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the night went on, Kazo walked north-northeast toward Steelflame, a few lights visible, although the town had no aura of light. As Kazo approached the town, he looked up. The night sky held its solid, nearly eternal beauty above, the dim, stars visible all around, and a dim, brownish band of stars barely visible near the horizon, the band to which the local sun belonged. Straight above, though it was difficult to make out any detail at all without a telescope, Kazo spotted one of the nebulae of this band, near it, perhaps slightly within it, a bluish star.
Kazo looked at the star as he made his way to the town, and wondered, what was his old friend Dracha up to? Though it felt like only yesterday he had worked with her, in reality it was centuries. Perhaps they had all died on such a risky endeavor. Perhaps their colony was already a success, a new eden for dragonkind. Then again, perhaps it was still a small colony, the dragons still asleep within.
Kazo continued further. Where did those people come from? Where did humans in general come from? Kazo had never seen such an odd race before his arrival in later times. Kazo thought for a while, then remembered an odd experiment performed right before the demonic invasion. Two groups were working on genetically modifying elves, experimenting with their genome. This was an attempt to learn more about the relationship between genetics and sapience, but when the wars happened, their modified subjects must have gotten released. It was possible that after the effects of the invasion had subsided, one group had progressed and expanded rapidly, while the other remained relatively stagnant.
Kazo continued on still. Yeln began to nibble on the back of Kazos head. As Kazo reached behind himself, Yeln leapt at Kazos hand, grabbing hold of it and nibbling on it playfully. Kazo snickered, and began to play with Yeln. Eventually, Yeln hopped out of the backpack, and started chasing and pouncing Kazos tail. Kazo smiled and waved his tail around to provide a moving target. Yeln eagerly hunted the tip of Kazos tail for a while until he had exhausted himself. Yeln then walked in front of Kazo, "Mew. Meww?" Kazo smiled, and Picked Yeln up. Yeln then climbed over Kazos shoulder, and back into the backpack, curling up and taking a nap there.
As Kazo approached town, he put his hood back on. Kazo approached the dimly lit entrance. The snakeman guard was still there, although the lights emphasized features that Kazo had previously overlooked. Under the armor and clothing, the snakeman wasn't green like the rest, rather he had brown scales with an intricate diamond pattern, the tip of his tail a rattle. Kazo spoke, "Why hello!" The guard replied, "Helloooo!" Kazo asked, "Where's Nefarious?" The guard replied, "Ah, She'sss out at the trade depot, sssorting out a few sssmall problemsss." The snakeman pointed down a path. Kazo spoke, "Thanks! Goodbye!" Kazo then walked down the path. Small problems?
Kazo continued down the path until he reached a trade depot. There he spotted Nefarious speaking with a human, several trade goods in a messy arrangement. Notable among them was a cage with a bull in it. The bull was rather odd though. Kazo at first thought it was a calf, but the horns said otherwise. It was just a very small bull. Nefarious spoke, "That darn critter ain't any bigger than the last time I seen 'im!" Kazo snickered. Small problems indeed.
Nefarious continued, "Come back with somethin' bigger than a damn calf next time! The small ranches are south of 'ere ya know, maybe ya aughta pay the suckers down there a visit! Or ya can drown the thing in the river and stop tryin' to sell 'im!" The human, visibly annoyed, several times most likely, spoke under his breath a few obscenities in his annoyance and began to pack his items up on his wagon. Nefarious walked away. She smiled as she passed Kazo. Kazo walked alongside her.
She spoke, "Glad ta see ya again! How's Rostus?" Kazo replied, "I think he's having a resource problem. He asked me to get some of his old documents from the military too. Where could they be?" Nefarious replied, "I dunno where the military keeps their stolen crap, but they do some weird stuff out by Endlesslabors. Careful o'er there, they got some REAL weird sh*t!" Kazo smiled. It meant there was even more for him to discover there.
Kazo spoke, "So what was that with him back there?" Nefarious replied, "Oh just a regular tradesman. Such a damn a**hole the rest o' my traders won't have anythin' to do with 'im!" Kazo snickered. Kazo replied, "Thanks for the information! I think I'll just head over to the forges. I need to fix my spear." Nefarious spoke, "Have fun, the crew there's a pretty nice bunch!"
As they approached the entrance, Nefarious smiled and walked up to the snakeman guard. She took his helmet off, cast it aside, hugged him, and kissed him deeply. The snakeman grinned. Nefarious smiled, waved at Kazo, then led the snakeman down the tunnels. Kazo waved back, but they were already moving down the tunnel.
Kazo turned around, and saw near one of the fields, the barn was open. For one reason or another... perhaps it was simply the open door... he felt curious about it. As he walked towards it, he heard a distant rumble, a little bit of smoke coming out of the barn, though nothing inside was visibly burning. Kazo smiled. He had time to explore Steelflame, and then he would be able to investigate a military operation that would ordinarily be high-secrecy. He was eager to see it all, and had quite a bit to look forward to.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(insert generic concern). Ok, I realize I should stop with being paranoid about stuff.
It actually did make me smile.
Poor elves, how horrid those experiments must have been to create such a creature...
And in on related notes: snakeman and demonic kobold... O_o Not a pleasant mental image...
:D :D :D !
Thanks to homework on top of other stuff, this is probably going to be pretty short.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo approached the barn. As he did so, the rumble increased in pitch and volume, a harvester with odd modifications in its cabin leaving the barn. The harvester came to a stop outside of the barn, it's lights shining upon the nearby field. Kazo walked up to the harvester. A male kobold, the farmer who owned it, was standing on top, looking down at these rather intricate looking modifications.
Kazo looked up, and spoke, "Why hello! I don't think I've seen one made like this before!" The kobold replied, "'ello. Heh, Nefarious's kind enough to let me 'ave that gadget book o' hers. Mind doin' me a favor an' returnin' it back to 'er for me?" Kazo climbed up to stand near the kobold. Kazo replied, "Sure thing! So what does this do?" Kazo looked at the mechanical addition that seemed to be actually occupying the drivers seat.
The kobold replied, "That's a new invention o' mine. I got these gears right here on a belt, they measure how far the thing's gone. This bit right 'ere checks, and uses this to turn the wheel when it's gone far enough. Once it's turned itself around, this reverser keeps it from goin' in circles, and it does the whole thing all over again until this stops it. This stuff'l let me work the mill while the harvester runs itself! I just got this stuff put together nice, yer welcome to watch me test it." Kazo smiled. He never turned down an opportunity to witness a test.
Kazo spoke, "I think I'll just stand over there then." Kazo then gently climbed down, careful to not to disturb the napping kitten in his backpack. Kazo walked over to a post near the barn, and stood by it. The farmers invention was actually quite intricate and in some ways artistic. Kazo watched as the kobold started it going. The kobold then stepped down, and stood by the barn door. A moment later, the harvester started to move on its own.
The harvester seemed to do as it was intended, harvesting a wide strip from the field, turning, then harvesting another strip. All seemed well, but eventually, a distant 'TWANG' was heard. A small piece of metal was ejected from the cabin of the harvester, and it seemed the gears were shifting around in ways they weren't intended. The harvester continued down the strip, but didn't turn at the end as was intended.
The kobold ran toward the now errant harvester, but the harvester turned sharply, its spinning blades now headed right for the kobold. The kobold stopped right there, turned about face and ran back to the barn, the harvester pursuing. The kobold entered the barn, the harvester barely missing the back of the barn, instead ramming into a small wooden post, toppling it and obliterating part of it before throwing it beneath itself. The kobold then emerged again holding a crossbow with a bayonet on the end. Kazo snickered and smiled, waving his tail about.
A creation-turned-hazard. It's a concept I'm familiar with!
The kobold ran across, and skidded to a stop, taking aim at the mechanism driving the blades of the harvester. The harvester ran into a barrel, quickly reducing it to planks, and sending the contents flying in a rather messy spread. The kobold fired in an attempt to jam the blades, perhaps just long enough for him to safely make it up onto the top of the machine. The bolt flew, struck the mechanisms, and glanced away right into the blades, where it was promptly ground and spat out. The harvester reversed its turning, and once again seemed to turn towards the kobold. The kobold ran towards the harvester, getting ready to leap onto the side of it.
The harvester then began to turn much sharply, the kobold having to dive out of the way to avoid the rapidly spinning blades. The kobold landed on his belly, the harvester driving by, the blades barely missing the kobolds feet. The kobold then hopped back to his feet, and hopped onto the side of the harvester, quickly climbing up to the cabin. He reached to shut the engine off, but a small cord hanging from his shirt got cought in the shifting and occasionally grinding gears of the now broken controller. Before he could reach far enough, he was pulled against the metal of the cabin by the cord of his shirt. A moment later, he grunted, struggling to avoid having his face pulled into the gears. A moment after that, the cord snapped, causing him to slip and fall from the harvester, landing on his back on the ground below.
He got up, shook off, and ratcheted back his crossbow, loading a new bolt into it. Meanwhile, the harvester turned right, plowing through a trough, and continuing toward a large cylinder of hay, neatly rolled and bound. The harvester tore through the hay, sending hay up and reducing it to a rather messy group of piles as it made its way through. The kobold yelled, "Dammit, that was good hay!" He then fired at his very own mechanisms in an attempt to jam them. Yet again, the bolt just glanced away. It was becoming apparent that bolts weren't effective at all.
The harvester turned to face him again, and seemed to accelerate, continuing in a straightening path. The kobold ran to the side, avoiding the blades, then gave chase to the harvester. He finally managed to leap up onto part of the back, climbing up to the top of the harvester. He made his way to the mechanisms, held his crossbow up, then brought it down, stabbing the bayonet into the mechanisms, jamming it between two gears. The bayonet was quite dented, but the gears were brought to a halt. The machine still continued though.
The kobold slowly made his way around the mechanisms, careful to avoid starting them going again. He saw he was approaching the river. He then, with much more haste, stepped towards the front and shut the engine off. The harvester slowed, but still approached the river. The kobold considered jumping, but didn't. The harvester finally came to a stop, blades held over the river. The kobold stepped down, sighed, and leaned against the now still harvester.
It was a small piece that broke off that caused all of that as well. Kazo noticed this, and began walking toward where he saw the piece fall. He expected the kobold knowing what piece broke off would help the kobold fix the problem. Maybe that and returning the book as he said might be something positive in the kobolds day. Though, he still had much more to do, and was intent on doing it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I get the feeling I might've overestimated the harvesters power a bit. Then again, it is heavy machinery.
Also, turned out longer than I had anticipated. I get the feeling I really am going slow.
Nice! :D
Edit: FIRST POST!!
[ February 27, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
Part of me says I say thanks to much, another says saying it any less would be too little.
So... thanks.
Thank you for this great story! x42
Kazo picked up the pieces and handed them to the kobold, "So here's what broke off!" The kobold looked at it for a moment, then replied, "No wonder! The second linkage went the wrong way. This thing's gone unscrewed itself!" Kazo spoke, "I'll go return that book. Have fun!" The kobold laughed a little, "I think I had enough fun for one day! Take care!"
Kazo walked into the barn, and found the book '87 Good Ideas' laying among some tools on a wooden table. Kazo looked in it, and found it detailed some gadgets, so he kept reading it as he left. There were a lot of clever ideas, several amusing ideas, and perhaps one or two ideas that weren't actually good. Kazo looked through the designs, thinking about the different technologies that were available. Some of the more advanced devices detailed were variants on mechanical computing machines, although there were some simple but interesting hypothetical scenarios, such as a dwarf-powered winch that could lift 1,000,000 weight units. Unfortunately, in reality, the device would likely break due to material limits, but it still provided an interesting thought experiment.
Kazo walked back to the tunnels, and entered again. He made his way down to Nefarious' room. The door was locked. Kazo decided that, since Nefarious was a friend, he would not invade her privacy. He closed the book and left it in front of her door. He then walked back through the tunnels, and upwards. He observed the kobolds walking to and from various tasks, and noticed one with a heavy apron and gloves. Likely this kobold was expecting to need protection from cinders or sparks.
Kazo followed this kobold to the back of the tunnel, and further, noticing the building pattern change. Many of the buildings now were warehouses or workshops, the smell of steel in the air. Eventually, they reached a corner turning right that glowed a bit red. Kazo followed the kobold around the corner, entering a large, cavernous room, full of smelting equipment and various methods of producing metal goods, among which were a few standard forges. Kazo smiled, waved his tail around, and looked all around.
The entire cavern glew slightly red, and several kobolds were working with the equipment. Kazo climbed up to the second level, resting upon the wall of the lower, and walked up to a particularly large furnace. It vaguely resembled the magic furnaces he was familiar with, but these were all unfamiliar in detail. Kazo walked around the furnace, noting its simple but effective design, a blast furnace fueled from below. Nearby was a cauldron full of molten metal.
Kazo walked up to the cauldron, and climbed to the top of it. He placed his hands down on it and bent over. It was very hot to the touch, though it didn't bother him much. Likely though such heat would rapidly burn a kobolds hands. He bent over further, and sniffed the top of the molten metal. He then quickly licked the metal.
Tastes like iron, only with a little extra zing to it! I think they seasoned it with carbon and... is that chromium I taste? Nice and warm, very spicy!
Kazo snickered, and climbed back down. Soon after, a specially designed crane on a track came down, and attached itself to the cauldron. It lifted the entire thing away, and carried it across to a casting facility. Kazo walked further along. It seemed he had come to the right place to create a shaft for his spear. As a certain diameter was needed, any old metal rod wouldn't work, and this would also allow him to forge the grip into the metal.
Kazo walked up to a kobold, and spoke, "Hello!" The kobold turned around, and replied, "'ey, welcome!" Kazo asked, "Do they sell the metal here too?" The kobold replied, "Yup, but it's cheaper to salvage some o' tha old stuff layin' in the junk yard back behind those doors. All you gotta do is wait for them to get done with the furnace, then melt whatever you got down. Be quick with it 'cause they don't appreciate people tying up their furnace when they need it again. Normally it costs to use stuff here, but if you're just gunna make use of someone else's idle equipment, it's free. They aren't usin' it and we might as well not let fuel go to waste after all!"
Kazo replied, "OK, thanks!" The kobold spoke, "Don't mention it! Nice to see a new face around here... well, if I could see your face." Kazo snickered, and walked away. Kazo walked down to the lower level, and out the door the kobold had indicated, finding himself in a large but single story room with many tables, random junk on them. It seemed that actually the junk was free for anyone to use as they wanted. Kazo browsed among various broken mechanical devices, bent casings, now-useless electrical machines, but as he did so, he began to feel something vibrating against his back.
Kazo smiled. Yeln stretched, then stood, resting his chin on Kazos shoulder. Yeln yawned, "Meww." Kazo snickered, and pet Yeln as he browsed. He chose a partially mangled scrap of metal that was once a steel casing for a device of some sort. He carried it back, and climbed again, looking among the furnaces for one which was almost complete with its task. He spotted one nearby, and walked toward it, noting the heat-resistant bowl beneath it. It was likely this wasn't an uncommon practice.
Though the furnace he was at had an access port conveniently near the fiery bottom, not all were built in such a way. In fact, much to Kazos curiosity, he saw two furnaces that were cylindrical with a spout on top that looked like a scoop. They took in pig iron through this scoop, and seemed to quite rapidly produce steel from it, the entire furnace tilting to pour the steel. Likely the cauldron he had tasted contained a further refined product from one of them. Kazo looked around, analyzing all of the equipment he could see. Meanwhile Yeln looked into the flame of the furnace, causing his eyes to glow a bit red.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, now I know I'm moving too slow. I look back on this and wonder how I managed to make such a short scene take such space. I get the feeling I made an update in which nothing happened...
FIRST POST!
"This is a !!steel!! Beyond quality avard.
It menaces whit spikes of steel and platinum.
On the item is an image of flames in ruby."
It wasn't THAT slow, really. just a bit.
makes me wonder how Kazos tongue works, you can' really make muskular hydrostat from admantine...
When the cauldron was filled, the flow of metal from the furnace stopped. A loud buzzer sounded, and a crane came to pick up the full cauldron. Yeln hopped down and observed from the side. Kazo took advantage of the delay, opening the side door, picking up the bowl with the tongs, and holding it into the now unoccupied flame. Kazo whistled a little as he watched the bottom of the bowl begin to glow with heat, red at first, then as the glow spread, the bottom began to show orangish glow and flame upon it.
Kazo was careful to minimize any impurities falling into the metal as it began to glow. Soon, the tongs also glowing quite hot, the metal in the bowl beginning to melt. Kazo continued, a buzzing eventually heard again as the now empty cauldron was being returned. The metal was at that point already mostly molten down, but it wasn't quite. The crane moved the cauldron back, and set it down. As the buzzer rang again, Kazo finished, and pulled the bowl out, shutting the door.
Kazo immediately and carefully moved the bowl of molten steel down to the forge, Yeln cautiously following behind. Kazo still made haste, for the last thing he needed from this was to ruin the bowl by letting the metal solidify in it. Kazo reached one of the forges, already in use, and found a bar mould next to it, not in use. Kazo poured the steel into the bar mould, set the bowl nearby, and waited. During this time, Yeln began to nibble on Kazos hand. Kazo playfully nudged Yeln. Yeln mewed, then rolled over, grabbing hold of Kazos hand, play-biting at it, and kicking at it. Kazo snickered. Yeln stopped the kicking and began licking Kazos hand. Kazo smiled, feeling gradually more and more attached to Yeln.
When the bar had solidified, although it was still quite hot, Kazo removed it from the mould. The kobold at the nearby forge had finished early with time to spare, so Kazo decided to make use of this time. Kazo placed the end of the spear down, and used it as a reference as he forged the bar into a new rod. When he had created a rod from the metal, he heated the metal again, and held the glowing metal in his hands. Using the hammer, he tapped his own fingers into the metal to form a perfectly fitting grip. He then repeated this with his other hand, and then created notches at the front for the components of the spear to latch to. Afterwards, he hammered the back end down into a small blade, facing toward the rear. Though there was no grindstone to sharpen it, it was still better than a blunt end.
Kazo cooled the metal, removed the wooden shaft from the spear, and contributed the old shaft to the fire. He then placed the now loose components of the spear onto the front of his newly forged shaft and latched them in. They fit perfectly. Kazo smiled. Since the charged spear head was just metal, the charge also went down the shaft. This was a hazard to most, but to Kazo, it meant there were more ways the spear could damage an attacker, and more ways he might be able to use magic to further enhance the spear. He felt eager to test that out! Though, unlike his previous test, he considered the people of Steelflame to be friends to an extent, and as such, unless one volunteered, he had no test subjects here.
Kazo swung the spear, stabbed the air, then swung the blade around, chopping smoothly through the air. The grips allowed him to maintain possession of the spear in virtually all circumstances, and all in all, it seemed quite a good weapon considering the average. Kazo put it away, and walked back to the corridor, leaving the chamber, Yeln following close behind. Whether he would be able to test the spear here or not actually didn't matter much. Likely his planned adventure through a military base would provide plenty of opportunity for experimenting with it. First, he wanted to speak more with Nefarious... perhaps she knows more about Rostus than Rostus was willing to share.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know these updates kind of don't have much happening. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this is one of the more boring updates I'll write. Sorry about that. Hmm, maybe I should make a really long one some time over the weekend. I'll have the opportunity for it.
Edit: Well, on the bright side, I did get some boring stuff out of the way for less boring stuff to come.
[ February 28, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
and this was NOT a boring update, the building is one of the parts I like best whit your story.
Yeln going around all that hot equipment makes me nervous.
You don't seem to comment much on my comments.
One thing that strikes me is the lack of runes on the spear, might he add some later?
Also, nobody seem to notice a random "kobold" holding red hot iron whit his bare hands.
I have noticed for a few updates that your writing is a bit more mechanical than in AKQ, sometimes more like a chronological list of events than a story.
And thank you for this wonderful story! ;)
Actually, the reason Yeln jumped off from Kazo was to avoid going too near the flame.
Kazo was more interested in working with new technology than old-hat magic, and was intent on seeing what magic would do with an otherwise purely tech device.
As for him holding that, nobody was really paying attention to him enough to get concerned. Otherwise, seeing a blue, 3 fingered hand in general would also draw attention.
And I think the mechanical updates are because there isn't any drama going on, this being a relatively stress-free adventure rather than a tense quest. Hmm, I wonder if my cutting back on ellipses also contributed to this.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo continued back toward Nefarious' room. Yeln walked close to Kazos leg, and rubbed against it as Kazo stepped forward, "Meww!" Kazo smiled, and pet Yeln. Yeln nuzzled Kazos hand, raised his tail, and began purring. It had long been known that the companionship of a feline was a great way to relax, and Kazo found this once again true. As they continued, Kazo looked up, and saw that dark-clothed guard with the bow walking slowly into a room, making use of a grey, simple, pine root walking stick. The kobold sighed a bit as he closed the door.
Kazo felt curious about this individual, and so walked into the room. It was a standard bedroom, though in the corner, there was a green glass aquarium with a lungfish in it. Kazo spoke, "Why hello!" The kobold replied, "You guys always... mmnh!" The kobold sighed, "What do you want?" Kazo replied, "Information and fun, the two staple brain foods! So who are you?" The kobold replied, "'Fun' is an illusion... Call me Raven, never call me a Dwolf or I'll rip you up!"
Kazo snickered. Raven, being a short, grey bipedal canid with a large beard, did look a bit like a cross between a dwarf and a wolf. Kazo replied, "No need for hostile intent!" A moment passed. Kazo continued, "You have a very interesting pet fish, I don't think I've seen a pet lungfish before!" Kazo walked toward the aquarium. Raven jumped at seeing what else was there.
Yeln sat at the aquarium, nose against the glass, licking his lips and purring with his face contorted in almost a mischievous smile. Yeln moved to follow the lungfish around. Raven shouted, "Get that damn animal away from her!" He then ran up to Yeln and pushed Yeln aside, Kazo catching Yeln and holding him against his chest. Yeln protested at being taken away from the aquarium, "Mrrrrr...!"
Raven sat back down, "Don't let that thing near my aquarium!" A moment later, he pulled out a flask of whiskey and began drinking from it, a sparsely used iron mug on the table. A few moments of silence passed. Kazo noticed further oddities on Raven's face, one eye was blue, the other purple, and Raven's left ear was missing. Kazo asked, "Are you OK?" Raven replied, "No, I never was, and I never will be, and when I'm dead, buried in some piss grave somewhere with my eyes rotting out and my arms turning into a maggot buffet, nobody will give a sh*t... why are you pestering me?"
Raven spoke, "Mmnh why do people always have to come by my house, can't they just tell I want to be alone?... Mnnnh... why haven't you left yet?" Kazo expected further attempts to extract information might lead to an undesirable situation, and so replied, "Ok then, goodbye!" Kazo then left, carrying Yeln with as he continued towards Nefarious' room. It had been quite a while and it wasn't the time of night for them to sleep, so perhaps she would be available.
As Kazo walked down the hall, he happened across the snakeman guard walking the other way. The snakeman smiled and chuckled, "Depravity... isss to be enjoyed!" Kazo snickered, considering how unique and yet strangely familiar this societal set-up was. It in some ways actually resembled that of certain animals, yet also provided for a modern society.
Kazo continued down further through the corridors, eventually reaching Nefarous' room. The door was now unlocked, so Kazo entered. He found her laying upon her bed. She happened to be without any shirt. She noticed Kazo entering, smiled, then a moment after got up. Kazo continued in. Yeln looked at Nefarious curiously. As Kazo and Nefarious approached one another, she noticed Yeln, "Tha's a cutie!" Yeln replied, "Mew!" She spoke, "Mew?" Yeln replied, "Meew." She spoke, "Mew?" Yeln replied, "Meww!" She spoke, "Mew?" After a brief pause... "Meww!" She snickered and pet Yeln, "Adorable critter ya got here!" Yeln nuzzled her hand and purred loudly, vibrating against Kazos chest.
Kazo asked curiously, "So what did he mean by depravity, exactly?" Nefarious snickered, grinning with the tip of her tongue sticking out between her teeth, "What c'n I say, I'm a succubus of many talents..." Kazo snickered, "Rostus mentioned you getting rid of a competitor for him. So what happened?" Nefarious laughed, "THAT guy?! Hahahahaaaaah! Ahhh, good memories. He ain't comin' back no more that's for sure!" Kazo asked, "So what did you do to him?"
Nefarious replied, "That guy was a slaver from the central continents. I swear he's the most racist and specist guy you c'n ever think of! He enslaved people in his mines, kobolds, goblins, dwarves, even other humans of a different skin color when he could get hold of 'em. Work'd 'em to death, and never shed a tear, 'cept for havin' lost money from it. Killed a few of his own slaves once when he had a bad day. So the idiot came over here and started ****-talkin' to my traders. Well they came back and told me he'd only trade with white male humans. I couldn't care less for this a**hole, so I went over there myself to share my thoughts with 'im. Idiot started ****-talkin' to me an' sayin' I should be his sex slave..."
She laughed, "Then he said he would 'grace' me by buying some cages to cage kobolds with. I showed 'im the cages, and the guy followed me alone... so I showed 'im how it worked too! Hah, took 'im back here, set the damn thing down o'er there..." She walked over to where she was pointing, Kazo following. He noticed several black marks on the wall.
She pressed her hand against some of the black marks, "Did a bit of a chemistry 'xperiment involving some carbon, a welding torch, and some human skin!" She laughed, "I can remember what he said when I showed 'im the mirror after. 'You... you colored me up!'" She let out her breath, grinning at Kazo, "Priceless... I sold 'im back to his own traders, made a bundle off it. I told the traders he already left, and when he said who he was his buddies didn' believe him. The more he said it the more pissed off they got. I saw 'em all leave, an' I saw 'em whip the guy once or twice on the way out. Musta hurt with all those burns!"
She snickered, "When they finally sorted that stuff out, their whole slave trade was shut down. Never seen his face 'round here again, and I don't think I ever will." Kazo replied, "I see. So you fight evil with cruelty?" She responded, "Yep. It works. An' hey, I don't call myself Nefarious for nothin'. I'm half demon, which means if someone messes with me, they're crossin' into dangerous territory!" Kazo snickered, "Speaking of that, I think I should test this spear before leaving. I need to see how well the staff works. So is there an opportunity for this in Steelflame?" Nefarious smiled at Kazo, "Yep!" Kazo was glad to be able to test it before facing an entire military base with a weapon that might not be what it should. But now, what was Nefarious planning? Kazo couldn't wait to find out, after all, it could be a fun challenge as well as a useful experiment!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, a part of me says that I might've gone too far with that. If so, I apologize, and I'll go back and fix it...
Actually, I've learned I should trust my intuition to an extent. I'll go back and change some of it, but still, some of the concepts... eh.
RAVEN IS ANOTHER WONDERFUL CHAR! :)
That snakeman thing is disturbing as it is, if you know to much about snake anatomy it is ten times worse, believe me, you don't wanna know... O_o *everybody rushes away to goggle it*
FIRST POST! (no BQ award today however, maybe an extra some other time)
Sorry if I don't write that much, but I take most of it over the chat whit Alan.
After a bit of walking down the corridors, they reached a muddy area, the occasional moo sounding out. The area beyond was rather large and the entire top was open to reveal he night sky. Nefarious spoke, "This is an experiment in subterranean milk ranches. I dunno but the dwarves sure as heck love the idea!" A kobold walked up to this corridor, and set a full bucket down, sighing. Nefarious immediately took up the bucket and sipped some of it. She licked her lips, and spoke with a sudden, amused smile, "Tastes kinda salteh, which one'd ya 'milk'?" The kobold, Lizo, replied, "Her over there!" The one he pointed to was approaching.
Nefarious laughed, "See those? Yeah, she's a he." Lizo spoke, "She's... so then I... EWWWWW!" Nefarious snickered. The bull approached Lizo, "Mooooh." The bull then affectionately nuzzled him on the lower back. Lizo stepped away. The bull then nuzzled again, rubbing against Lizo's back and raising itself up. Lizo then panicked and fled, the bull chasing after. Nefarious laughed, "Better luck nex' time!" Lizo left, slamming the door behind himself, the bull stopped at the door. The bull then turned, and slowly walked away, his head hanging low in sadness. Nefarious spoke, looking at the bull, "Poor guy... but I don't think it was ever meant to be! Well that's done, follow me."
Kazo followed nefarious out. He commented, "So is it a coincidence or does depravity follow you around?" Nefarious replied, "It's coincidence, but, heh, I think I am rubbin' off on these people!" As they continued, Kazo asked, "I think Rostus might not be all that good. So is there anything I should know about him?" Nefarious replied, "He was a businessman, so he ain't gunna be a philanthropist. He says he's workin' on a project that would make cheap, clean electricity anywhere it's needed for negligible fuel. 'course everyone's gunna want that patent! Trust me, he's gunna be one of the richest and most powerful people in the world after this, but it's better than it never gettin' invented at all. Go figure the military wants to make it into a bomb. I take it he sent you to stop 'em?" Kazo replied, "Yes, actually, in a way!"
They continued toward the front of the corridors, then entered a dark room. Nefarious spoke, "Ya ever gone into showbiz?" Kazo replied, "I think you might say so, although it isn't the kind you're familiar with! What does that have to do with testing my spear?" Nefarious turned the lights on, revealing she was now holding a masterfully crafted broadsword made from exceptional steel, made by hand rather than mass produced, "Wanna put on a show?" Kazo snickered, "Sure!"
Nefarious pressed a button on the wall, opening the door on the other side of the room, then passed through. Kazo followed through, finding himself within the bottom of the arena he had seen earlier, obsidian walls all around, people slowly entering as they passed by and saw what was going on. They waited a while for enough people to show up, people above manning mechanical cameras operated by crank. Then, Nefarious stood smiling, holding her sword out, "Let the show begin!"
Kazo drew his spear and stood ready. A fun challenge between friends meant no severe injuries could be dealt, but it still presented a good opportunity to test. Yeln hopped down as Kazo drew the spear, then hopped up across various equipment until he reached the stands where he observed with feline curiosity. The cameras started up, and the crowd applauded briefly at the beginning of another spontaneous public spectacle.
Normally, the public at large never witnesses my experiments. Time likes to change things!
Nefarious tossed her sword up, cought it, then ran towards Kazo, sword at the ready. Nefarious jumped to the side and swung at Kazos legs from behind. Kazo leapt up, the swing traveling below him, and then brought the bar of the spear down over Nefarious' head. Nefarious jumped back, Kazo landing. Nefarious slashed at the surface of Kazos shoulder, resulting in merely a cut on his clothing.
Kazo brought the flat side of the blade at the end of the spear up, striking Nefarious in the head, discharging upon contact. Nefarious grunted loudly and jumped back, stumbling a little, then shook it off. She moved around Kazo, then leapt up at him. Kazo leapt back, then continued back, pointing the spear at Nefarious and building up a charge in the spear. Then, he channeled the charge into an astral orb he had formed at the tip of the spear, and thrusted the spear, firing the orb at Nefarious. Nefarious swung at the orb, her sword absorbing it without effecting her. She ran at Kazo, Kazo speeding up to a run as well.
They both leapt up. Nefarious swung at Kazo in midair. Kazo parried it, the steel shaft of the spear sending sparks up. Kazo then immediately knocked Nefarious downwards. Nefarious landed softly, and as Kazo came down, she slashed upwards at him. Kazo looked up at Nefarious... a short moment later, Kazos coat came undone, falling to the floor. Nefarious laughed, but a moment later, she and the whole crowd found themselves surprised. Nefarious still smiled at Kazo, now visibly seen to not be a kobold.
Kazo swung a false strike at Nefarious, then thrusted forward with a true one, Nefarious quickly moving to block both, successfully. Kazo swung at her head and then thrusted again, both parried. Nefarious grabbed Kazos hand before he could pull away, and pulled Kazo in as she kicked him in the chest. The shot merely glanced away. Kazo then pulled Nefarious back in an attempt to throw her down, but Nefarious swung around behind Kazo, bringing her sword to Kazos neck. Kazo lifted up and bent over, throwing Nefarious over himself, down onto her back.
He drew his spear up, but before he could swing down with it, Nefarious had already rolled away and hopped back to her feet. Kazo channeled mana through the spear, letting a channel pierce forth. He projected an arc of energy toward Nefarious. Nefarious' sword absorbed all of it without effecting her. Kazo then ran at Nefarious, building speed behind a powerful blow, making use of his whole momentum. Nefarious ducked, the blow missing. She then brought her sword up and grabbed hold of Kazo, using his entire momentum against him in a rapid throw down, Kazo landing on his back. She swung down at Kazo, but Kazo parried. He parried again, and parried as Nefarious thrusted at him.
When he saw Nefarious draw back for a fourth strike, Kazo kicked Nefarious in the gut. Nefarious grunted loudly, jumping back, and coughing. While she was slightly stunned, Kazo thrusted at her hand in an attempt to disarm her, but she tossed the sword up and jumped back again. She landed and cought the sword, holding it behind herself. She stood her ground as Kazo approached.
When Kazo neared, she swiftly leapt forward, bringing the sword forward to Kazos gut with such force it caused him to stumble from his path. Before he could recover, she continued as if it were one motion, bringing the sword down again on the back of his head. Kazo found himself too unbalanced, and fell flat on his face. Yet again, his one native flaw... He grunted, more out of annoyance than anything else.
As she brought her sword up behind her, and continued the same motion down towards Kazo, Kazo cought the blade with his hand. He held the spear in the other hand, and used it to leverage the sword, in an attempt to either disarm her or throw her. She leapt up, using Kazos efforts to flip over and land on her feet on the other side of Kazo, leveraging her sword away, and at the same time, pulling Kazo to his feet. She spun around, elbowing Kazo in the head and leaping backwards. Kazo was knocked a bit to the side, but recovered just in time to see the roundhouse kick she was swinging at him. He cought her leg, and stepped forward, throwing her forward. She let go of the sword, altering her course with her hands on the ground, then landed back on her feet, picking the sword back up.
Kazo moved to parry as she leapt forward in a thrust, but Nefarious used this to more quickly raise her sword above Kazo. Kazo knocked the sword to the side again as she brought it down, and jumped back. He then fired another arc of energy, this time striking her on the side of her upper and lower body. She grunted again, nearly losing hold of the sword, and stumbled back. She shook it off, but it seemed to have an effect. She then charged at a Kazo parried in a manner to allow him to immediately strike after, as he had begun to do, Nefarious thrusted her sword immediately after being parried, resulting in the same swing hitting Kazo in the head. Kazos swing struck Nefarious in the elbow. There was a slight popping sound. She gasped and quickly stepped back, checking her elbow.
She visibly felt pain, but she could still move and use her elbow. She moved it through its full range, then shook her hand, stopping to stand her ground once more. She moved to the side, near some equipment meant to manage the arena environment. She climbed the equipment, taking vantage on top of it. Kazo leapt up high, bringing his spear down as he came down to land also upon the equipment. She dodged out of the way, and thrusted as he landed. He ducked and rolled, evading her thrust.
As Kazo got up, he noticed Nefarious was looking off to her side. Kazo noticed... this was not a trick. He also looked there, to see a kobold in a control booth, finger over a button, grinning mischievously. Kazo and Nefarious both leapt into the air as the kobold pressed the button. The machine they were previously standing on erupted in a gush of water. As Kazo and nefarious fell, Nefarious swung down at Kazo. Kazo parried, causing her sword to get stuck in the side of the machine. Kazo was knocked into the machine as well by the force of the hit, his spear becoming lodged. Both he and Nefarious dangled from their weapons as a large gush of water poured down on top of them.
The crowd laughed then cheered. Nefarious commented, her fur drooping with water, "Don'cha hate it when that happens?" Kazo replied, "Actually, I like it!" Nefarious pulled her sword free. As she fell, Kazo pulled his spear out just in time to parry a midair strike at his chest. They both landed in a rising pool of water. Nefarious swung upwards from her landing, striking Kazo in the arm with quite a bit of force. The blow scratched Kazo quite noticeably, Kazo feeling a bit of a stinging. Though it was basically harmless to Kazo, that blow would've done major damage had it hit flesh.
Kazo took advantage of her recovery time to swing the flat side of the tip of his spear. He struck Nefarious in the side of the head, leaving quite a scratch and discharging his own power along with the spears into her. Nefarious barely held back a yell, and stumbled around, somewhat dizzy. Kazo then brought the spear up, charging it quite a bit in preparation for the final blow.
Ah, the inevitable being realized... the most boring result, but still not bad!
Just before Kazo brought the heavily charged spear down, Nefarious swung around again, and thrusted at Kazos now quite exposed neck. Kazo felt a sharp pain. He tried to look down to see what had happened, but he found he couldn't move his head. He stumbled backwards out of surprise, looked down as much as he could, and felt along his neck... there seemed to be a sword sticking out of the joint seam at the front of his neck, lodged in quite firmly.
Nefarious slowly up to Kazo, "... Looks like I win!" The crowd laughed and cheered again. She held her head, noticing the blood on her face, "Looks like ya got me good though!" Kazo snickered, ignoring the sword sticking out of his neck. Kazo and Nefarious shook hands. Nefarious then spoke, "Hold still!" She placed one foot against Kazos chest, then yanked her sword out, both stumbling back a bit when it was finally dislodged. Kazo snickered, despite the loss, "That was fun!"
Kazo also was able to evaluate what he could do with magic and the spear. Although he didn't use full power here, the spear seemed to be able to be used as a ranged weapon in several different ways. Though he had seen this effect before, the addition of electricity meant new things might happen in odd situations. Nefarious spoke, "Now that we've done some entertainment for these people, let's go have a chat." There was still more to discuss, but soon after, he expected he might need to put his spear to a true field test against real forces. Still, mostly he felt curious. What secrets would be uncovered at the military base?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmm, hoping I got the combat balance right. A magical adamantine character with a prototype weapon makes it a bit more difficult to balance.
Ah well... (insert random concern here).
Nearly all the time, these concerns don't come true. I should stop having them. Ah well...
Awesome fight there, though. Especially if, like me, you read it while listening to the soundtrack from Pirates of the Caribbean. Absolutely epic, man!
Wait a minute... Nefarious put a shirt on before the fight, right?...RIGHT? :)
Edit: FIRST POST!!
[ March 02, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
Hmm, looks like I forgot to consider that detail (oops). Not sure whether she would've or not, considering on top of it all, people in these societies don't make such a big deal out of clothing. I'm operating under the principle established in DF where you can walk around naked and nobody cares. At least it can be confirmed she was wearing pants though :p
Not sure still though.
[ March 02, 2008: Message edited by: Fenrir ]
quote:Sorry. I didn't mean to sound hostile. I just wanted to know if you had conversed with Armok recently.
Originally posted by AlanL:
<STRONG>I (perhaps mistakenly) sense a bit of hostility with that. Is anything wrong?</STRONG>
And sorry if I don't say much, but I talk to Alan several hours a day over the chat nowadays, I take most discussion there.
And yes, although I do strive for quality, I don't think I'll ever be able match the two previous.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They both put their weapons away, and accompanied eachother out. Yeln jumped down the machinery, and despite the water, made his way back to Kazo, "Meww!" Kazo smiled and snickered, petting Yeln as Yeln rubbed against Kazos leg, tail raised high into the air. Nefarious pressed her hand against her face, "Ugh... I'm gunna be feelin' this one tomorrow."
Kazo asked, "Do you need any help?" Nefarious replied, "I got nothin' to tie this up with now. Wait 'till we get back." They continued on, Yeln opting to walk along side them, likely to stretch his legs and to dry off. They continued on until they reached Nefarious' room again, and then entered. Nefarious walked over to a piece of cloth resting upon a table, then held it up with a metal bottle. Kazo commented, "I think I have a better idea!"
Nefarious asked, "What is it then?" Kazo spoke, approaching, "Just stand right there." Kazo then placed his hand on her cheek, over the deep, bleeding scratch. She held still and watched curiously. Kazo then channeled his mana towards that hand, modulating it with his own willpower to create a regenerative field, closing the scratch and sealing it such that only a hardly noticeable scar was present. Kazo then placed his other hand on her gut, and repeated the process, stepping back afterwards, "There!"
Nefarious asked, "That's perfect, how'd ya do that?" Kazo snickered, "Magic!" Nefarious smiled, "Fair 'nough. I'd like to try some myself, there's the occasional record o' it, but there ain't any more around far as I've seen." Kazo replied, "It's gone somewhere. I don't know where but it has! So why did you decide to do that with no top garmet?" Nefarious replied, "People 'ere don't care what you're wearing or not wearing. Same goes for most other places 'cept for the religious nuts from the north, but they c'n kiss my a** and then they can go to hell. They'd make good slaves and test subjects for when I get there myself." Kazo smiled, "So I see you're planning ahead!" Nefarious replied, "Yep."
Kazo noticed a bookshelf near the far wall of the room, and walked to it. Nefarious lay at her bed, put on her glasses, and began sifting through a pile of various reports and proposals from her people and other leaders. Kazo browsed the books, waving his tail as he walked from one side of the shelf to the other, his nose nearly touching the books as he moved. He did have a mission, but he also had time, enough to maybe read one or two parts of something before he left again. He noticed a book with a peculiar red-text title, and chose that one. He pulled it out, and found it was titled "The Golden Age of Blood: Histories of War and Revenge, 1000-1499".
Kazo sat in a chair near at a table close to Nefarious' bed. He set the book down as Yeln hopped up into his lap, "Mew!" Kazo grinned, "Yeln Kitty!" Yeln stood up, "Meww!" Kazo hugged Yeln. Yeln looked at Kazo, and tilted his head. Kazo tilted his head as well in the opposite direction. Yeln climbed up and nuzzled against Kazos nose. Kazo smiled, scritching Yeln on the side of the face, Yeln beginning to purr with one eye shut. Kazo did feel rather relaxed. It was said to lower ones blood pressure, but even if one lacked blood, the relaxing effect was still there.
Kazo channeled his mana, creating a regenerative field around Yeln. He hadn't done this before, and it was possible Yeln wasn't in top condition. To Kazos surprise, he found Yeln's soul actually took this in, and mirrored it back. He continued to hug Yeln, and a few moments later, noticed the scratch on his arm had seemed to repair itself. Kazo smiled. Yeln licked Kazos nose, and Kazo snickered.
A moment later, Yeln climbed out, and sat in Kazos lap, "Mewww?" Kazo replied, "Sure!" Kazo then opened the book, and began reading it, Yeln curiously observing some of the pictures and odd designs, even though Yeln was unable to really read it. After the dedication page and the index was the first section. It began by describing old Anthath Sizet as a stable place, an economic power of the deserts and wetlands in the southeast continents. It seemed a place of little note other than its wealth.
It was around 1005 when its wealth began to bring instability to the formerly stable place, political and economic battles breaking out among the middle class, and spreading toward the upper. The regime of the time held together but as time passed it became ever more difficult as challenges from more and more of the nobles and merchants around the king chipped away at the throne. For 20 more years that lineage held on to the throne, and it was in 1025 that the king was killed by one of the barons below him. This wasn't known at the time, so this baron having planned it the whole time, used his political leverage and wealth to buy out the throne.
The throne carried much of the wealth, and wealth made one a target among rivals. His reign only lasted 5 years, during which a very successful businessmen named Gustem Izrolronum gained immense political clout with the barons he always traded with. His trades lined their pocket books, so they voted for him. When he had the king killed, his friends made sure nobody knew, and soon after, he ascended the throne with the promise of further contributing to the wealth of his allies. Rather, he double crossed them, declaring them enemies and having them killed, their property seized and delivered to the capital.
Over the next 20 years, Gustem solidified his reign by preventing any means of overthrowing him. He taxed the poor until they were unable to afford good weapons, claiming their money. He taxed the merchants, forcing them to take corrupt measures that some had already embraced, and some were ever more disgusted with. He had the guards watch one another, and as these guards competed for fame and wealth, some reported others to Gustem for crimes they didn't commit. As a final layer of defense, Gustem refined his combat skills he had gained fighting wildlife and kobolds as a merchant, even once attacking a kobold cave after losing property to one of them. He trained to become an elite with the mace, using his immense wealth to have forged a masterwork mace and the most advanced suit of armor of that day, all made out of his favorite material, bronze. It was also during this time that Gustem enjoyed other privileges of his position, resulting in a child. Records show that the child died of an arrow wound, and his grave was dug up by someone, the child's remains never found.
Gustem could've had another, indeed the Izrolronum line was set to remain in total power over Anthath. Then... some scholars view it the result of legendary skill, some scholars view it as the result of a torrent of pure luck, many scholars viewing it as a combination of the two... on the 27th of Granite, 1050, Gustem Izrolronum was struck down by the lone kobold Fale Thimaiyilo during the very revolutionary conflict that she herself had begun. A note was printed that the details of this story were in part 2, offering a page number.
Kazo smiled as he read. He had slept for nearly 800 years, and seemed to have quite a bit of catching up to do. This book covered over half of it, and he felt intent on hearing the full story behind the two kobolds that he had met that long time ago... yet, it still only felt like the previous day. Perhaps also he would find himself mentioned. Somebody had to move him west, and he also felt curious about that old fortress he had found himself in.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hoping I got the details to match up. Should be fine.
[ March 04, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Ok, this one might have been a bit slow... I hate to type that.
Oh, and I got the first post! :D
This one is really awful, but I don't have many BQ award ideas:
"This is a neuron Beyond Quality award.
It mences whit spikes of activity.
I is encircled whit bands of memory.
It is encrusted in sensory.
On the item is an image of Sigmund Freud and a tentacle demon in psychology, the tentacle demon is telling jokes to Sigmund Freud, Sigmund Freud is laughing.
On the item is an image of and mushroom cloud and Sigmund Freud willpower, the mushroom cloud is engulfing Sigmund Freud, Sigmund Freud is being vaporized."
Maybe I shuld stop making awards when I have no ideas for them...
[ March 03, 2008: Message edited by: Armok ]
Afterwards, Kazo read the story immediately after of Blitukus Thimaiyilo. Unlike the story of her mother, many details were still a mystery to historians. His childhood was described within, his inclinations toward intellectualism and mechanisms, his partial gnomish lineage. His childhood had just ended when in new years of 1080 his mother was assassinated by the mercenaries of a dwarven establishment he would eventually lead a battle against. They attempted to eliminate him as well. Though one of the assassins, when questioned, spoke of Blitukus stealing a wagon from him, his destination remained uncertain. A recently uncovered arctic establishment, destroyed in an eruption, is theorized by some to actually be the home and refuge of Blitukus, but concrete proof had yet to be found.
Uncovered evidence as well as national records have shown that Blitukus was the true pioneer of flying machines, armored vehicles, and industrial technology, being also the inventor of the magma loop. Another large device was recovered, and although it seemed much of it was ruined by heat, some suspect it was a radio transmitter of sorts. In the end, nobody knows the fate of Blitukus Thimaiyilo... though the arctic refuge, likely his home, does pose puzzling hints toward it. Some say he died in the eruption, some say he died long before. Some say, according to the uncovered 'heat-engravings' and odd pattern in the stone and ice, complete with odd configurations of metal, a release of radiation did it. This is widely debated, and somewhat mocked by some, as the energy needed was calculated to be, even by modern standards, truly preposterous. His remains had never been found. Indeed, it seemed he had vanished from the face of this world.
Kazo looked through it again. It seemed he had met two of the most historically famous people in this post-demonic world. They were much more to him than figments of history though... they were his friends. He had always known he had never forget, and the age of his memory was but a number only. Kazo decided to see if he was mentioned by looking through the back of the book for mention of him. He eventually found mention of a blue metal statue, discussed several places. He turned to the first one of them. Within, he found the details of a warrior of the north from the 1340s who began his career as a guard, and worked his way up the ranks of the military until eventually becoming one of the most prominent generals, leading one of the bloodiest campaigns against the goblins ever fought. Kazo skimmed most of it, but took note of the mention that this warrior had actually reached the cave containing the 'blue statue' on one of his later campaigns. He reported it, and records persisted.
Kazo found the next entry near the end of the book, a dwarven fortress known as Bracedhopes established in 1460 as the most westward settlement of the time, far beyond the original boundary. This settlement separated itself from the desperate conflicts and hardship to the east, and began trying to build a refuge for those who also wished a better life. They were left alone, and on their own became so powerful and wealthy, isolated from foreign threat, they could afford sending out parties to scour the lands for techniques and methods from the days before the goblin wars. When these parties returned, many returned with nothing. One returned with a motherlode of information from the northeast, bundles of technology forgotten since the war started. The last followed the records of the previously mentioned warrior, finding the 'blue statue' and retrieving it. The statue, identified as a saurian of some kind, was put on display at the front foyer of the fortress, its jointed frame posed in a fierce position the dwarves regarded as only fitting. The fortress made use of its amassed power to produce large amounts of the devices detailed in the plans recovered, and when conditions finally had returned to normal circa 1495, trade allowed the machines and technology to spread, rapidly being adopted by all cultures who saw the potential of it. In 1500, the Golden Age ended, and the Age of Steam had begun.
Kazo smiled. It seemed he had become part of history in his sleep. He might be the only one in the world able to claim this. He spent a few moments reflecting on the past... He would never forget it, but nor should he dwell within it. Now, the future lay ahead, and he was intent on seeing its potential in action. He closed the book, stood slowly, Yeln hopping to the floor, then placed the book back.
Kazo spoke, "Thanks, friend! I think I should pay the military a visit." Nefarious replied, "Bye then. The train to Endlesslabors is s'pposed to leave soon. Come back in less than 4 pieces!" Kazo snickered, "Sounds easy enough! Goodbye!" They waved at eachother, then Kazo left, Yeln following behind. Kazo and Yeln went back to the arena, where Kazo retrieved his now fully washed and partially dried coat, putting it back on, although he had to retie some of it.
Kazo and Yeln then exited Steelflame, and turned to head toward the nearby train tracks. On the way, Kazo noticed a kobold, seemingly well armed, heading also toward the station. Who was this kobold? Kazo turned to walk toward the kobold, stepping lightly to reduce the sound of his footsteps. He might as well make a more fitting appearance. In fact, he might as well sneak behind whoever collected toll for the train. He found he hadn't been doing enough sneaking around lately. On its own, sneaking was quite fun, but in the situation he would face retrieving those documents, it was useful and fun at the same time. Kazo eagerly looked forward to this future, and waved his tail a bit as he walked, a smile on his face.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope all the historical tidbits wasn't a bad idea. At least the story should pick up some speed from here.
"This is a kobold leather Beyond Quality award.
It menaces whit spikes of carp teeth."
And it wasn't *that* slow, it's just me comparing to the previous stories and nothing can match that.
I think it should probably be that Yeln climbed out, :p.
Keep it up, these are all great!
I was actually afraid that would happen eventually, Fixed. Thanks for pointing it out for me.
Can't wait for the next part!
Kazo approached the kobold, leapt up, then landed in front of him, "Why hello!" The kobold stepped back, a bit startled but otherwise unaffected. Yeln slipped between the kobolds legs, "Mew!" The kobold replied, "Yep, hello! Going to Endlesslabors?" Kazo replied, "Not quite, but close enough." The 3 of them walked toward the train station, a steam locomotive with several cars behind it waiting patiently for its departure time.
Kazo spoke, "You might say I'm going to pay the base a visit." The kobold replied, "You work for 'em?" Kazo responded, "No, actually. I'll just be causing a bit of trouble there! It's part of a goal of mine." The kobold smiled and snickered, "What a coincidence!" This kobold was also interested in causing trouble at the base? Kazo noticed, though the kobold was well armed, his crossbow was actually probably civilian make, modified quite cleverly to increase its power to the scale of its military cousins.
Kazo asked, "So what's your name?" The kobold replied, "I got a lotta nicknames, 'specially bad ones from the military, but I call myself Tok." Kazo spoke, "... Hammerblazes? So you're who demolished a barrier?" Tok replied, "The news overblows all the wrong sh*t. Yeah, I blew it up but that's not the point. I gave the general a scare he won't forget! His bro was takin' a piss right next to the thing when I set that stuff off, knocked him flat on his a** but it didn't kill him. The point was to show the general he won't be safe 'till he hands over my bro!"
Kazo noted, it seemed to be a pattern among the kobolds he had only recently seen many of, they were very loyal to their own family. Kazo asked, "So what happened to your brother?" The kobold replied, "They tested him, they classified his score, then a day later, I saw some grunts take him away. I love my bro! They just came... AND TOOK HIM! I don't know what they're doing to him but I'm not stopping for anything until they release him! It was that bastard Milspec that did it too!"
They continued until they reached the train. Tok sighed, "Well, since you'll be there we might as well help eachother." Kazo smiled, "Sure thing!" Tok moved toward the ticket booth, and began purchasing a ticket. The clerk there seemed indifferent to Tok's weapons. Likely there were no restrictions whatsoever on what could be brought aboard the train.
Yeln stood by the entrance to the train, curiously watching it, tail waving back and forth, occasionally forming a question mark. Kazo snuck in the shadows by the booth, and as Tok and the clerk spoke to one another, Kazo slowly made his way behind the counter of the booth, climbing up and stepping down from the counter on the other side. When Tok had finished, Kazo approached the clerk from behind from a stack of crates.
Kazo spoke, "Why hello to you!" The clerk jumped around, "What? Oh..." Kazo snickered. Kazo noticed the price of the ticket, and set down his backpack, counting coins from it until he had enough to pay. Kazo spoke, "I'd like transit to Endlesslabors!" The clerk replied, "Yeah, alright, here you are." The clerk took the money, spent a few moments writing out information and verification on a ticket sheet, and handed it to Kazo. Kazo replied, "Thanks, goodbye!"
The clerk replied, "Have a nice trip, 'cause it ain't a nice place over there." Kazo snickered ,"That's what I hear but thanks anyway!" Kazo then hopped over the counter. Tok had already entered the train. Yeln walked up to his feet, "Mew!" Kazo smiled, and picked Yeln up, walking toward the train. Yeln crawled over into Kazos backpack as Kazo entered the train.
The seats weren't very luxurious, and there were several others also aboard, likely commuters. Kazo noticed Tok sitting by a window, looking out. Several minutes passed, and eventually, one of the crew called to make sure all were aboard, closing the doors a few moments after. A few moments after that, the train jerked forward with a loud hiss. The journey likely wouldn't be that long, but until it was over, Kazo thought of a few things he was curious about and could test people for as a way to pass the time. After that, he would have a chance to recover those documents, to benefit the future and also to free himself from the need for fuel, at least, for a while.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know it's a little short, and things aren't really picking up yet, but I felt I should probably be more awake to write the next part.
It is short, but it looks like the next one will have more to write about, ;).
Great job!
I find that even if it's not much happening it's still not boring at all, at some points the construction and character development can be just as fun to read.
There doesn't need to always be fighting to be interesting.
I was worried that it was becoming less interesting because there wasn't as much conflict.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The train accelerated away, chugging along at an increasing rate away from Steelflame. Kazo noticed a doorway back. He was starting to feel curious about the passengers and their safeguarding of their own luggage, as well as how the passengers treat one another regarding it. Kazo passed through the doorway, and noticed near the rear of this car, two humans sleeping on opposite sides. One human was a rather muscular looking male, a bag full of various belongings at his side. The other was a much smaller male, wearing glasses, carrying a backpack that was mostly empty.
This presented an interesting opportunity to test how tolerant and how territorial passengers can be in transit! Kazo walked to the larger human, carefully removed the bag of items from his grasp, then placed it in the possession of the smaller human. Kazo then hid behind the seat, and clapped above the larger human, watching from the small space behind the seat.
The large human awoke, noticed his bag missing, then looked around, "Hmm? Hey! WHAT THE..?!" The human stood, then walked over to the smaller human, his shoulders raised and his fists clenched, a snarl and scowl on his face. The smaller human awoke to see the larger humans fist drawn back. The smaller human cought the swing of the larger human, using the momentum of the swing to pull himself up and throw the larger human down. The smaller human pressed his knee down on a sensitive spot of the back of the larger humans knee, wrenching the larger humans arm back in a manner it was not supposed to go.
The larger human yelled in pain and struggled helplessly as the smaller human pinned the other arm down with his knee, wrapping his arm around the larger humans neck. The larger human struggled and pounded his fist on the floor as several joints were forced back, weak points being forced down. The smaller human throttled the larger one until the larger one went unconscious. The smaller human then got up, and brushed himself off, standing hands behind his back, "Hmmh..."
The smaller human then adjusted his glasses, and picked the bag of the larger human's items up, walking away with it, "Splendid!" Kazo snickered. It seemed that passengers in transit were as territorial and tolerant, if not more territorial and less tolerant, than those at a destination. Likely it was the stress that such gradual travel in confining machines produced. Though it also seemed that each individual likely had a means of coping with a potentially hostile environment.
Kazo then noticed that immediately after the smaller human walked away, several other passengers applauded. Either they were applauding a good fight or simply cheering for the underdog. Likely the latter, indicating that, in a way, there was an odd sense of morality among the travelers. Kazo continued on exploring the various cars. He found that most of the passenger cars were identical, although what might've once been a heating system was removed. A heater was seldom needed in the badlands anyway. There were also cargo cars, although most of the cargo was foodstuff and simple metals or metal components.
Eventually, Kazo noticed the human passengers falling asleep while the kobolds entertained one another in various ways. Kazo sat in the seat in front of Tok, looking out toward the dark horizon, slowly rolling by. Where was Yeln? Kazo looked around, then stood, walking toward the front of the car. Yeln walked in through the front door, a bit of dust visible on his fur. Kazo smiled, and picked Yeln up, walking back to his seat, and sitting down, Yeln sitting on his lap.
Yeln began pawing at Kazo. Kazo snickered, and did the same to Yeln. Yeln caught hold of Kazos hand, and nibbled on one of his fingers. They kept entertaining one another for quite a while. Eventually Yeln decided to take a nap in Kazos lap. Kazo looked outwards as the train continued on through the night. Tok also did so, but eventually got into a conversation with a few other kobolds over, of all things, dwarven ale.
Eventually, the sun began to rise. As the sun slowly edged its way over the horizon, Endlesslabors visibly drawing nearer and nearer, the sound of a wagon approaching was heard. Kazo noticed that the occupants of the wagon wore thick clothing that blended in with the desert environment, one wielding a long crossbow, two manning a large, drum-fed automatic crossbow mounted in the bed of the wagon, one the driver, the remaining two remaining near the side. Kazo smiled. This was definitely a way to break the monotony, and it might have an interesting result as well.
The wagon approached the train. The two idlers in the wagon transfered onto the car of the train Kazo was in. The wagon then drew away. The crossbowman wielding the long crossbow took careful aim, and fired. The bolt flew at high speed, piercing through the window of the car. It continued, just barely grazing Tok's head, and continuing on, flying through a glass on a table between two kobolds, shattering it, and eventually lodging itself in the opposite wall of the car.
The passengers of the train hushed, then as the automatic crossbow began firing, everybody except Kazo crouched close to the ground, shouting at one another, several among them drawing weapons. The train began to speed up, though it had to slow down again as it neared a curve in the track.
The firing stopped. A kobold armed in military gear dropped opened the top hatch of the car, dropping down from it, "NOBODY MOVE!" This kobold then moved down the rows, crossbow held out, checking the identity of those he passed by. Tok lay prone on the ground, holding his crossbow, concealed by the seats above him. Tok snarled as he heard the footsteps approach. As the kobold passed by Toks position, Tok took aim, and fired at close range, the bolt piercing into the back of the kobolds chest, becoming firmly lodged. The kobold yelled, reached behind himself with one hand, collapsed to a seat, then despite the shock from the mortal wound, fired at the figure beneath the opposite seat. Tok yelled as the bolt sunk into his arm. Tok growled, climbed out, ripped the bolt out, then stood to a standard crouch.
The armed passengers also assumed a crouch, moving towards the wall of the car. They fired at the wagon as Tok made his way back to the hatch. The sharp-shooter on the wagon dropped her crossbow, and took up a tower shield, shielding the automatic crossbow and its crew from incoming bolts at the price of making it more difficult for them to fire.
Tok ratcheted back his crossbow as he moved, loading another bolt in, his modified mechanisms making the process quicker and more effective. Tok took advantage of the crossbowmen's difficulties, making his way up the ladder and poking his head out the hatch. With an immediate reflex he jerked down as a bolt flew across, striking the open hatch cover and ricocheting upwards. Yeln dropped down and hid under the seat. Kazo moved toward the hatch as well. Tok climbed up to the roof of the car, laying prone. Kazo leapt up through the hatch, and landed on the roof. Smoke from the engine was blowing across the roof. A human crossbowman peeked up from behind one side of the car, firing quickly at Tok, Tok returning fire at the same time.
Tok's bolt grazed the roof of the car, missing its target. The other bolt grazed Tok's back and pierced his leg, though it didn't stick in. Tok yelled, then grunted loudly. Kazo moved toward the crossbowman on the side of the car. A few moments later, the crossbowman took aim again, and fired at Kazo. The bolt struck, and glanced away producing virtually no damage, perhaps a barely noticeable scratch. Kazo noticed it was only some kinds of bolts that could do any damage, and even the glowing bolts from the future generally glanced away. Likely the ones that could dent him or even scratch him noticeably were the armor piercing variety.
Kazo smiled, and leapt up. The crossbowman below looked up in horror as Kazo came straight down on him. Kazo gashed the crossbowman with his claws, digging in and tearing the crossbowman away. The crossbowman and a bit of blood fell away, Kazo hanging on to the side. Kazo flipped himself back onto the roof of the car, and looked back. The crossbowman fell, hit the ground, bounced upwards, then smacked right into a cactus at high speed. Kazo winced in shared pain for a moment, then snickered about it.
The wagon seemed to have drawn nearer. Bolts flew up at Kazo as the automatic crossbow fired across the roof. Kazo crouched, and was readying to cast an explosive orb at the wagon, when he saw Tok preparing something of his own. Kazo stopped, and watched curiously as Tok took out three red sticks, much like the ones he had seen the miner use, bound them together, tied the fuses together, took out a matchbox, lit a match, then lit the fuses. He stood, as much as he could with the bolts whizzing by, looked down at the wagon, and chucked the bundle forward of the wagon, crouching down and covering his ears afterward. Kazo watched eagerly as the bundle hit the ground, bounced off toward the wagon, then finally reached the underside of the wagon.
With a thundering explosion, the bundle went off under the wagon, knocking all 3 inhabitants clean out of it, throwing the shield and the automatic crossbow, and blasting a decent portion of the wagon to bits, wood flying up into the air and a section of the axle, including a whole wheel, blown clean off. Some of the wood landed on the train. The remnants of the wagon smashed and rolled their way to a stop. The horses were freed from their restraints, and the former occupants of the wagon fell with their own blood, having been pierced by shrapnel. They landed, leaving a trail of dust.
Tok sighed and grunted, checking his wounds. Kazo made his way over to Tok, and spoke, "So would you like help?" Tok replied, "If you can sew this stuff up here, go for it!" Kazo then reached down, and focused his energies to heal both bolt wounds. Tok coughed, then spoke, "Dang! That's like magic! If we get a few of you around, docs would be outta business!" Kazo snickered, "I think you're probably right!"
They both climbed back down the hatch. The other passengers were still by the window, visibly shooken by what had taken place, the damage from bolts flying through visible around the car. Tok spoke, "Looks like I'll be keepin' an eye out in the future. Well thanks! It was fun... kinda." Kazo smiled, "It WAS fun!" This situation had brought another point to light though. It had been evident already that for those on the wrong side of a powerful military, their lifespan was short. It seemed this trend still continued. Luckily for Kazo, his lifespan wasn't a subject for concern.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(insert random concern)
Actually, my main concern is that I'm being too monotone. I've become more so over time, and it might be getting to be too much.
First post:
"this is a cacti Beyond Quality award.
It menaces whit spikes like cacti do.
It is encrusted in kobold blood."
This is a bit Wild West style, but whit airships, an magical admantine dinosaur ninja robot, and kobolds. :D
And yeah, it was meant to be a bit wild west style, but not overly so.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many of the passengers immediately began discussing among themselves what had happened. Tok sat down and rubbed where the bolt wound used to be. Kazo sat by him, and Yeln immediately climbed out from under the seat ahead, and leapt up into Kazos lap, seeming to hug him. Kazo returned the hug, smiling. Yeln spoke, "Mewwew!" Kazo replied, "I think they won't bother us anymore!" Tok spoke, "Why'd they send one after me though? What kinda base can't defend itself?" Kazo snickered, "Sounds like an unusual situation. I can't wait to know the details of it!" Tok hesitated a moment, then laughed, "I bet we'll get them with their pants down! I'm gonna remember this day!" Kazo smiled. Kazo was interested in seeing the outcome of Tok's quest as well as discovering the secrets present within that base.
The sun rose completely, and the lands around began to warm up. The train slowed, and eventually, with a screech pulled into a station adjacent a mountain, a few smokestacks rising up from the town within. The tracks continued into the mountain, but the entrance to the tunnel had a sign stuck right in the middle of the tracks, "Under Construction". The train let out a hiss, and the crewman, visibly still as shaken up as the passengers, opened the door. The passengers left the train, Tok, Yeln and Kazo exiting last.
Tok began walking toward a path that led into the desert, a pair of empty cargo-hauler automobiles driving toward the mountain. Kazo spoke, "So I guess we'll be riding in back?" Tok replied, "No, we walk. They always check those trucks, defenses or not, and it's broad daylight anyway! We get close, catch some shut-eye, then when night falls we go in."
Kazo picked up Yeln as they continued across the desert toward a small group of buildings in the distance. Yeln mewed quietly, licking his lips. Kazo spoke, "Do you have spare provisions? A small bit of food?" Tok replied, "Yeah, hold on." Tok then retrieved a piece of meat from a can and handed it over to Kazo. Kazo then proceeded to feed it to Yeln. Kazo spoke, "Thanks! You aren't very territorial over food, I see." Tok replied, "I found some extras back on the train. Plus, now that's one less thing I have to carry!" Kazo smiled, "That's always true!"
When Yeln finished, he climbed over Kazos shoulder, climbing into his backpack. Kazo snickered as he felt Yeln playing around in his backpack. Eventually, after quite a while of walking, between the base and Endlesslabors, they came across a double hill, what was once a small farm in the valley, the path going around one hill. They didn't want to put themselves in direct sight by going on to the road, so the best choice was through the valley.
They approached the valley, and noticed two humans sitting one at each side of the entrance. Tok remarked, "Maybe a couple o' hillbillies? Think they'll let us through?" Kazo smiled, "Let's find out!" Kazo approached. One of the two humans stood, "F*** OFF KOBOLD! We don' like your type here." The other spoke, "S*** eating f***! BEAT IT!" They both sat, and watched Tok and Kazo. Likely these two weren't very observant, having been out here for a while.
Kazo thought about this, and thought of a way to test how observant they actually were. Kazo walked up the opposite hill, climbing the slope, though not enough to pass them entirely. Tok followed. They crouched in a position behind one human that had sight of the other over the shoulder of the first. The human they were behind was talking to the other, adjusting his crossbow. Kazo picked up a rock, and aimed carefully at the nearby human. He threw it, striking the human in the arm, the impact causing the crossbow to fire.
The bolt fragmented at the end of the crossbow, some of it striking the stump the other human was sitting on, quite near the other humans crotch. He yelled, "WHAT THE...?!" The other human grunted, got up, and aimed his crossbow at the first, a scowl on his face. He fired, the first human diving out of the way of the fragmented bolt. The first human ran as the other gave chase. They ran out from the valley, trading shots at eachother. There was one instance where the first human dived under the second, running at him, the second loading his crossbow. The second human fired as the first skidded by. The shot missed, resulting in the first human getting up while the second had shot himself in the foot. The first human then attempted to fire, but his crossbow jammed due to being loaded improperly.
Tok snickered, and Kazo laughed. They made their way through the now unguarded passageway. Kazo looked back, and finally saw the first human win, knocking the second out with the butt of his crossbow, at the same time accidentally firing a shot with which he grazed himself. Tok commented, "I bet their parents were related..." Kazo remembered, people in such isolated areas weren't like this all the time, in fact it used to be quite a rarity for them to act in this manner... but judging by Tok's remarks, perhaps it had become more prevalent with time.
Kazo walked toward a small stream behind the house, Yeln looking over his shoulder. Tok followed, chuckling, "You're fun to have along! Won't say no to seein' idiots get rid of themselves." Kazo snickered, "I'm a benefit to society!" Tok laughed, replying half-jokingly, "You're a hazard." Kazo smiled, "That too, but I'm selective about that!" Tok spoke, "Hah, makes you more fun to be around!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmm. Something sticks out regarding the last paragraph, but I don't think I can spot it exactly.
The odd thing was you didn't mention the house earlier, maybe?
First post:
"This is an microline Beyond Quality award.
It mences whit spikes of lead.
On the item is an image of a kobold in magnetite, the kobold is smiling."
(kinda generic award, but...)
Anyway, thanks. And actually, I doubt that was it but now that you mention it, the house didn't come into view before these updates.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo reached the river. Yeln immediately hopped down, and began to drink from it. After he was done, he walked back to Kazo, rubbing against both of Kazos legs in a figure 8, "Mew?" Kazo snickered, and picked Yeln up, Yeln once again climbing into Kazos backpack. They continued on, out the other end of the valley, toward the base. As time went on, it was beginning to get rather hot. Yeln peeked his head out from Kazos backpack as they moved.
Tok spoke, "Why'd you bring the kitten?" Kazo smiled, "He wanted to!" They continued on still, eventually approaching the base. It was actually lightly guarded it seemed. There were a few concrete buildings enclosed in the base with tall, barbed wire fences, a building resembling a hangar serving as a gate. This much less resembled a base, and much more resembled a newly established outpost. There were no guard towers, and only two guards on patrol. Tok yawned, "Looks like a good spot over there." Tok walked to a nook between a rock and a tree hidden from sight of the guards, and sat, laying against the rock, under the shade of the tree.
Tok commented, "It'll be too hot today I bet." Kazo looked back down the path, and noticed the two trucks approaching rapidly, one quite ahead of the other. Kazo spoke, "I think we should see what they're going to do!" Tok replied, getting up, "That's not a half bad idea!" They waited for the guards to both round the corner away from the hangar-like gate, then snuck up by it. The vehicles approached very rapidly indeed, their engines spinning near their maximum...
Inside the vehicle ahead, the driver yelled back to the vehicle behind, "You lose, slowpoke!" The driver of the vehicle behind replied with a vulgar gesture. The driver of the vehicle ahead then laughed.
Both vehicles slowed. One of the vehicles approached the closed gates, and stopped. The gates began to open. Kazo and Tok snuck up to the vehicle, hiding between the gate and its cargo container. When the gate had opened enough, they quickly moved through and snuck aside as the vehicle entered. The inside of the hangar looked just like that, the inside of a hangar. There were a few crates on the sides, and a walkway placed above the second entrance. There was a kobold in military outfit manning a large, mounted automatic crossbow on the walkway, constructed with peculiar design. The crossbow was actually several bows mounted on a rotating drum. The drum would spin, and the bows would fire one after the other, scooping up a new bolt and being drawn back as it cycled again. It resulted in a machine with an extreme fire rate, but also a rather expensive looking drive system due to the immense forces required.
Kazo analyzed this, and found it surprising when the rest of the perimeter was barbed wire fence. Then, he realized, there was probably several crossbowmen with various equipment on the rooves. The fence was merely there to slow down uninvited guests enough to reliably hit them. Tok and Kazo hid in the shadows for a moment. Then, as the only other guard in the room moved to check the rear of the vehicle, Tok snuck along the side of the room, silently ascending some steps, approaching the mounted crossbow. The guard manning it sat, his goggles red, staring down at the vehicle.
Kazo set his backpack down in the shadows, away from any potential crossfire. The guard checking the rear of the vehicle exited, noticed Kazo as Kazo moved towards him, and quickly drew his crossbow, "Stop right there!" The guard manning the mounted crossbow turned to face Kazo. Kazo smiled, and continued walking. The guard fired at Kazo, the bolt striking Kazo in the head, then glancing away. The guard seemed surprised by this. At the same time, the vehicle began to exit the hangar.
Kazo ran after the guard, but was struck by a barrage of bolts as the mounted crossbow fired, nearly tripping him up. Kazo turned his head away and held his hand out, trying to move after the guard. Luckily these bolts weren't armor piercing, and as such glanced away. Tok snuck up to the mounted crossbow, his crossbow held out, and just as the guard manning the crossbow noticed Tok, Tok fired, striking the guard in the head. The guard died swiftly and without a sound. Tok then booted the body out of the way, and took control of the crossbow.
Kazo ran up to the guard, and leapt on him, knocking him over. The guard bashed Kazo in the head with his crossbow, but the shot glanced away. The guard attempted to swing again, but Kazo cought the crossbow in his mouth, tore it away, then threw it aside. The guard attempted to roll and free himself, and successfully tilted Kazo over, but as Kazo lost his balance, he bit into the guards neck, his teeth sinking into the front and back. The guard yelled with a yell that only intensified as Kazo released current through his mouth, shaking the guard around by the neck until finally he tore a chunk free. Kazo then spat the chunk in the guards face. Kazo got up, stomped the guard in the chest, then walked away. Kazo hid in the shadows, watching as the guard struggled to get back to his crossbow, losing consciousness to blood loss before he could reach it.
The second vehicle rolled in, and stopped. The driver noticed the oddity that both doors were open. The driver then noticed the motionless, bloody guard with the trail of blood behind him. Then he looked up, to see Tok laughing, pointing the mounted crossbow right down at him. Tok fired. Several bolts flew through the windshield, breaking it, a bolt landing in the drivers chest, one in the neck, and two in the head. Tok then shifted his fire down, firing into the engines of the truck. A stream of smoke began to come out, then a stream of darker smoke, followed by the engine grinding and ceasing.
Tok then stopped firing, got up, then walked down the stairs, snickering. Yeln commented, "Meeweew!" Kazo smiled, put on the backpack, then continued toward the inner entrance, following Tok. All three passed through, entering this 'base'.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hmm, I decided not to trouble people with random concerns tonight :p
Not as slow this time.
Would a rotating barrel be good crossbows, really?
First post.
"This is a generic Beyond Quality award.
It mences whit spikes of praise.
It is encrusted whit worship."
The way it was mounted it wouldn't be very accurate, but that isn't the point, the point's to spray bolts all over in the enemy's general direction. It was basically supposed to be a gatling gun equivalent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo looked around. Luckily the guards hadn't seen their actions. Inside the base was several concrete buildings, a hangar-like building near the center next to what appeared to be a large concrete testing ground. All the rest of the ground was hot dirt. In fact, it was quite hot already, hardly noticeable was a slight bit of light distortion due to convection near the ground.
Kazo followed Tok quite closely. They hid in an alcove of a nearby building, hiding away from the guards. Kazo and Tok both knew where the hatch was... now was a question of getting to it. There was shouting from the hangar. It seems the guards had discovered what had happened... Tok held his crossbow up, pointing it out the alcove, and began to move towards the front of the alcove. There were the sounds of running footsteps. One of the guards ran past the alcove, the other slid to a stop, having spotted Tok. The guard yelled and turned to raise his crossbow, but Tok already had his raised, and simply fired. The bolt struck the yelling guard in the mouth, and continued through, piercing the back of the guards head and coming out the other end. Blood shot out of the back of the guards head, and as the guard stumbled, spilled out of the front. The guard fell over backwards, dying without a sound.
Kazo followed Tok as Tok exited the alcove, headed toward where the other guard went. Suddenly, Tok stopped. Tok gestured for Kazo to stand still, looking up towards the rooftop just above. A moment passed, then Tok took out a stick of explosives, lit it, and tossed it up. It landed on the rooftop. A moment later, it went off with a thundering explosion, the flame seen above, its light all around. There was a loud screaming. A mangled, blown open guard and a mounted automatic crossbow, previously hidden, were catapulted from the roof. They fell to the ground with a satisfying crunch and clank. Tok snickered.
His amusement was quickly crushed at the sight of an armored vehicle moving from behind a building. The vehicle, unlike the others Kazo saw, had crossbows and cannons mounted, all forward facing. The vehicle turned to face Tok. Tok spoke, "WHAT THE HELL?" Kazo smiled, waving his tail about at the thought of an unusual challenge, one he hadn't been confronted with before. Tok darted behind the building. Kazo leapt up to the roof of the adjacent building, noticing the hole in the roof and the broken crossbow mount.
The vehicle approached. Tok reloaded his crossbow, and attempted to fire into the vehicles small window, missing, the bolt glancing away. Kazo was about to ready an explosive orb when he spotted Tok readying his last two sticks of explosives in a much more advantageous position. The armored vehicle approached. Tok peeked out, and tossed a lit stick, quickly darting back behind the building. Several bolts struck the wall, popping and banging as they exploded. With another loud explosion, the stick of explosives going off at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was lightly damaged, but the otherwise bolt-proof glass shielding the port in front was broken.
The vehicle still approached. Tok cought sight of it, and as it turned to face him, he darted out to the side, away from its line of fire and toward it. Soon it was facing him close enough. He darted the other way, two bolts just barely grazing his back, and luckily not going off. He leapt at the vehicle as he reached it, then rolled away to avoid being crushed under it as it turned. He then got up, lighting the next stick of explosive, and tossed it in through the broken window, darting away afterwards. The vehicle stopped, the hatch slamming open, the guard driving it scrambling out and leaping away. Before the guard landed, the stick went off, causing the fuel and ammunitions of the vehicle to all go off simultaneously. An immense explosion resulted, causing the cannons on the top of the vehicle to be blown clear off, tossed upwards. The cannons flipped over and landed on their top, flame and smoke rising up from the charred, destroyed armored vehicle.
The guard grunted, and took out her crossbow, aiming the double-bow at Tok. It seemed to have an odd design including pistons and several cylinders mounted near its stock. Tok crouched behind the corner of a building, reloading his crossbow. He peeked out to fire, but immediately pulled back as the guard fired. Two explosive bolts struck the corner of the building, blowing small chunks from the concrete. The bow then hissed loudly, gas seen escaping from the pistons, the bow automatically loading bolts from within. The guard then fired immediately again. Kazo lowered himself down from the rooftop, sliding down to ground level off of a ridge above a door, and watched this, placing the backpack, Yeln inside, on the ground. It seemed that though there were mounted automatic crossbows, there were no true handheld ones, only improvisations that aren't actually as good. Perhaps the needed technology wasn't made small and light enough at this time?
As the guard attempted to reload the overly complex crossbow, Tok ran out towards her. She darted away toward the corner of the building. Just before she could escape behind the building, Tok fired, striking her in the side. She gasped, and dove behind the corner, grunting loudly. Kazo ran up, leapt up, and landed on her gut, digging the claws of his feet deep into her guts, and tearing her guts open. She yelled, and swatted him across the head with the side of her crossbow. Kazo channeled his mana to form an explosive orb in one hand, using the other to hold the crossbow away. She gasped, and yelled. Kazo stuffed the explosive orb in her mouth, and a moment later, her skull fragmented, blood, brain and brain fluid scattered everywhere, her eyes shooting out from their sockets, blood shooting out of her mouth.
Tok stood for a moment, watching, "... I... don't know what the hell that was!" Kazo smiled, "Magic!" Tok replied, "Yeah, now let's get down there before any more show up!" Kazo snickered, "Sure!" Kazo leapt off of the body, blood trailing down from his claws, and landed back on the ground, running back towards his backpack, his tail waving high behind him. Kazo slid to a stop near his backpack, put it on, and continued to the hatch, meeting Tok as he got there. Yeln, who had watched it all, commented, "Mew! Myewwe!" Kazo replied, "I do that for your safety!" Tok tried to open the hatch, but found it was locked. Kazo walked up to it, reached down, and placed his claw in the keyhole of the lock. Likely the lock was also sealed from the inside, and as such couldn't be picked open, but it wouldn't matter much. Kazo focused his mana, creating a channel between the top of his claw and the center of the lock, pressing his hand against the metal of the hatch. Kazo Forced energy through the metal, a shower of sparks shooting up from the keyhole. Kazo pulled away, some of the lock inside glowing with heat. He then forced the lock open, the metal within bending much easier, and opened the hatch. Below was a ladder going down to a concrete tunnel. Kazo went in, Yeln in his backpack, Tok following, closing the hatch above himself.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I get the feeling I'm being too low detail, and perhaps too predictable. Though this helps with speed, I don't want to miss something important. Maybe I really should start these earlier.
(just so peaple don't get worried... :) )
They came to an intersection. There was the trampling of boots... Kazo and Tok quickly scrambled over to the other side, and crouched, hiding close against the wall, behind a pipe. Tok held his breath as several guards, likely 10 of them, marched down the corridor. When they had passed, Tok breathed a sigh of relief. Kazo realized why the defense had been sparse outside... the guards, soldiers, were waiting within, hiding near whatever they defended. The true resistance lay just before... and now they waited, intent on trapping Tok and Kazo within these thin corridors. Rather than stand in the open, subjecting themselves to explosives and fire, they stuck to their defense, and some hid away, waiting for the right moment to strike, unobserved, silent.
Kazo grinned, waving his tail, but keeping it from rising up too high. He was familiar with the game of cat and mouse, but seldom had he ever been the mouse! Tok noticed Kazos waving tail, quite large and quite unlike the tailless physiology of kobolds. He did a double take, then looked ahead, not commenting on it. Kazo walked up to another window, and noticed what appeared to be an attempt at a more portable particle beam cannon... although unfortunately for the military, and visibly present in the room, the enormous power supply needed for the weapon made it critically inefficient for most purposes. Kazo thought, analyzing the device, perhaps in later eras it could be vehicle mounted... it could already be vehicle mounted, but a large portion of the entire vehicle would have to be dedicated to energy production for it to be effective and have a decent rate of fire.
As they continued, a soldier was seen exiting a room ahead. The soldier turned, and upon spotting Tok, immediately jumped back and fired his crossbow. PANG! Kazo felt the bolt strike his head, knocking his head back. Tok gasped slightly, then growled loudly, firing at the soldier. The soldier leapt to the side, the bolt hitting him in the gut, rather than the chest. This soldier had a layer of armor that partially stopped the bolt. Tok ran up to the soldier before he could get up, crossbow raised. Tok brought it down on the bolt, using the butt as a hammer to drive the bolt deep into the soldiers gut. The soldier yelled as Tok then used the bolt to tear the wound and pry the soldiers guts out. Tok kicked the soldier, then turned, looking down at the ground where he expected his hit friend to lay.
He was surprised to see Kazo still standing. He was doubly surprised to see Kazos blue, reptilian face, a bit of a scratch on it, the steel bolt, laying on the ground, visibly dented quite a bit more. Kazo smiled. Tok hesitated a moment, completely still, then laughed. Kazo set down his backpack, drew his spear, then entered the room, the door still open. He spotted a scientist hiding in a corner at the back, a very large crossbow, several bows and mechanisms behind the bolts, gears and chains on the sides, a large crank, all steel. There were multiple bows and mechanisms internally all dedicated to storing energy behind a single projectile... likely many of the mechanisms were there to allow the person using it to reload it without machine help. Likely also much of it was made of steel because it had to be to support the forces involved. On the side was written, in rather elegant writing, "Big F*cking Crossbow -- Mk.5". Kazo felt there was some larger significance to the name, but he couldn't quite identify it. Despite this, the name alone was very descriptive. Indeed it WAS a big crossbow!
Kazo snickered, and walked toward it. As he did so, another bolt struck him in the side of the head. This one merely glanced away without even a scratch. Kazo turned, and saw a soldier darting out from behind a pipe, running across the room toward the crossbow, dumping her conventional one aside. Kazo leapt across the room, and landed between the soldier and the crossbow. Kazo channeled his mana through his spear, focusing it to the tip. As Kazo formed an orb full of the spears energy at the very tip, the soldier skidded to a halt. Kazo swung the spear, catapulting the orb at high speed toward the soldier, and bringing the spear into a throwing position. The soldier dove out of the way, the orb missing her and continuing back, absorbed by the wall with a buzzing noise. Kazo threw the spear as the soldier belly flopped to the ground, the spear striking her in the neck. She gagged, struggled, then fell motionless.
Kazo noticed the scientist attempting to sneak out of the room. Kazo also felt curious as to the effectiveness of the crossbow that that scientist had likely worked to create. Kazo generally never liked bows or crossbows, but his curiosity made an exception. He took up the rather heavy and large crossbow, aiming it at the scientist, snickering. The scientist attempted to dart away. Kazo fired. The crossbows bow moved as it fired, letting loose loose all of its stored energy and much of the mechanisms into the single projectile which fragmented into a cone of debris at the end of the bow. The heavy recoil caused the crossbow to pop up in Kazos hands a bit. The cone of shrapnel flew with immense speed, striking the scientist with a loud FHWAP! The scientist had held his hand out just beforehand... his hand was shredded down, his chest shooting out a plume of blood as sharp fragments tore in. The scientist gagged, and fell immediately to the floor, motionless.
Kazo noticed Tok snickering. Kazo smiled, and walked back, retrieving his backpack, and noticing it was quite lighter. Yeln was now standing next to Tok. Kazo took the backpack back, placed several rounds of ammunition for the new crossbow into it, wore the crossbow behind his back, then wore his backpack over it. He wouldn't make much use of it but it might come in handy somewhere. Kazo retrieved his spear, shut it off, and put it away as well. He left the room, and continued down the corridor alongside Tok, Yeln following close behind.
They noticed the corridor ending up ahead, leading into a cylindrical room with two stories and several doors out, several crates in a few stacks in the middle. Either it was a foyer or a test chamber... perhaps both. As they approached, Kazo noticed a small bit of metal sticking up from the floor at the end of the corridor. They slowed. Tok reached down and realized... he was all out of explosives. Kazo smiled, and ran towards the end of the corridor, forming an orb of explosive energy in his hand. As he ran up to the end, the metal turned out to be the tip of a crossbow, held by a soldier crouched under the exit. The soldier sprang up and fired. The bolt glanced off of Kazos chest. Kazo threw the orb at the soldier. The soldier was struck in the chest, his chest being blown a bit open, a chunk of gore shooting out. The soldier fell to the ground, yelling, gasping, and with his last dying breath, let out a yell that faded away until it could hardly be heard at the end.
Kazo twisted around and snickered at Tok and Yeln who were rapidly approaching. A loud alarm went off. They quickly entered the cylindrical room. The lights began to flash red. There was a whirring and a clanking. Kazo looked around, and picked a corridor, but before he could reach it, it had been sealed, a thick steel door shutting itself and locking itself from the inside only. In fact... all ground level exits had been sealed. Kazo could easily leap up to the second level, but he didn't want to leave Tok and Yeln behind. The footsteps of numerous boots could be heard approaching. Tok and Yeln hid behind the crates, Tok breathing deeply, trying to remain calm. Kazo smiled. A new scenario with new factors... he felt quite eager to see it's outcome.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I get the feeling some of the numbers here might not line up, but I guess it still works. Hmm, I think rather than specific concerns, one of the things that always is a thought is something being wrong without my even noticing.
[ March 11, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Big F*cking Crossbow... Mk.5, Fale had one... Mk.3?
"This is a Big F*cking Beyond Quality award.
It is made from steel.
It menaces whit spikes of torque and power.
It is encrusted in gears.
On the item is an image of a kobold and corruption, the kobold is shooting the corruption."
Actually, Fale had the 1000, which I believe is Mk.1. Remember, this is 800 years ahead. I'm assuming the BFC is not a common weapon at all (close or at one of a kind status), and rarely has a new version. Spread evenly, it would mean 1 version up every 200 years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several soldiers, about 10, entered the second level, and crouched behind pillars around the walkway. Kazo heard a staticy, mechanical voice from on top, not directed at him, but at one of the troops... a radio. Kazo spotted the antenna. Likely the radio transceiver was rather cumbersome, as it was set down on the ground. The soldiers shouted to eachother to ready, and move. Kazo stepped to the side. Four soldiers emerged, fired at Kazo, and immediately crouched back. One bolt missed, bouncing off the floor. One struck Kazo in the gut, another in the head, the third in the arm, all three glancing away.
Kazo thought, they would be quite vulnerable to the explosives Tok had used in their position. Likely they knew he was out, in fact the armored vehicle earlier may have been a successful attempt to make him use up his explosives. He snickered, and drew his spear, running and leaping onto the second level, two bolts whizzing under him. Meanwhile, Yeln ascended the crates with agility, up toward the second level. Kazo charged the spear with a surge of his own energy, stabbing the radio operator in the head, killing her instantly.
Kazo turned around and ran toward another soldier emerging from behind the pillar, and as soon as he did so, the soldier fired. A bolt flew into his eye, becoming lodged in the rear of it. For once Kazo felt quite a sharp pain. Kazo only sped up, growling. He leapt at the soldier, snatching him before he could move away, sinking his claws into the soldiers back and his teeth into the back of the soldiers neck. The soldier yelled, which only intensified as Kazo tore and shook the soldier around, stabbing the soldier in the back with the charged spear at the same time.
Kazo noticed a second soldier running towards him... Yeln was chasing this soldier. As the soldier moved to crouch behind a bin, Yeln leapt forward, biting down between the soldiers legs. The soldier let out a loud scream, slipped, and fell from the second story, slamming to the ground below. Yeln let go in time to remain on the second. Before the soldier could get up, Tok fired, the bolt striking the soldier right between the eyes.
Kazo ripped a chunk out of the neck, and spat it out on to the back of the soldiers head, getting up, and standing on the soldiers back. Kazo yanked the bolt out and dropped it, noticing his vision was quite blurry in one eye, but was slowly returning to normal. The soldiers shouted to eachother, and began to move from behind the pillars. One threw a small cylindrical canister down into the crates, and two dropped down from the second level to the first, crouching down and shielding their eyes and ears. The rest moved behind short cover, aiming at Kazo. Kazo had no concern for his own safety, rather, he was quite concerned for the safety of Yeln.
Kazo ran toward Yeln. POW! The room was filled with a deafening bang and a blinding flash as the canister went off. Kazo continued, despite his vision being a bit saturated for a moment. He picked up Yeln, and held Yeln close to his chest, bending over as he ran toward a partially covered, shadowy area of the room. A couple of bolts glanced off his back, and although he tried to jump to the side, he was hit in the face with the butt of a soldiers crossbow. Kazo ducked down and kept running. More troops began storming into the room.
Below, Tok, who had also shielded himself, fired at one of the two on the ground, striking the surprised soldier in the gut. The other soldier rushed in. Several canisters were thrown down to the first level, bolts flying down as Tok hopped over a crate and hid behind the next stack. A bolt struck Tok in the arm, but he still continued, loading his crossbow. POPOPOPOPOPOP! There was a loud hissing, and the level below was flooded with smoke. Kazo reached the shadows, and crouched down in the shadows, placing Yeln behind himself, shielding Yeln.
The troops aimed at Kazo, but held their fire, more readying their crossbows. It seemed they weren't sure what to think of this seemingly invincible opponent. Many fired into the smoke. There was a loud yell, which intensified. A soldier toward the rear threw a large, spherical object. It arced through the air, pierced through the smoke below, and landed with a clang. BOOM! Bits and pieces of wood were thrown up as crates were demolished, a black plume visible in the smoke after the fiery explosion.
The soldiers closed in on Kazo. Kazo realized... that was probably the end of Tok. He was now alone, and it seemed running was less of an option... Kazo drew his spear, and charged an orb of electrical energy on the end of it, crouched down. He held the spear up as the soldiers approached. They approached with caution, their weapons aimed, but it seemed combat was inevitable... Yeln would have to make it through alive, at any cost! Kazo spoke softly, "For Yeln kitty!" Yeln commented, "MEEW!" A brief moment passed. "Cease fire. CEASE FIRE! ALL OF YOU, NOW!"
All the soldiers stopped suddenly, startled by this command. A kobold, wearing an armor thicker and made of a different material than most other troops, a thick steel helmet painted a dull camouflage brown, greenish-brown goggles, and a rather complicated looking crossbow appearing to have two bows and two triggers, all of very high quality, leapt down from the second story to the first, running into the now dissipating smoke.
He stopped above Tok, and quickly crouched down. Tok lay, his legs and lower body mangled and his guts spilling out, two bolts sticking out of his gut and one out of his arm, his fur soaked in a pool of his own blood. The room was filled with silence. Tok could only gasp, his life dwindling away. Tok had often speculated what Milspec had looked like, but had never actually seen him. In fact, as he saw this kobolds appearance, he felt his heart would only stop sooner. The kobold, looking down at Tok, took his goggles and helmet off, and crouched down lower, his breath shaking, his mouth open slightly. Tok barely managed so speak, "Ven.... bro?" Ven sniffed, a tear dropping down onto Toks bloodied chest. Ven hugged Tok, barely breathing. Tok slowly attempted to hug his brother, one last time, and succeeded. A moment later, Tok fell limp, his last breath slowly flowing out of his mouth. Ven slowly let Tok's body down, his eyes shut, sniffling.
A moment later, Ven opened his eyes, and looked up at the soldiers above, who silently looked back, "All of you. SCRAM! NOW!" They obediently left the room. Kazo remained in the shadows. Indeed, Kobolds do form strong family bonds. This seemed to have less meaning to him though... looking at Tok's ruined body, he could remember Arkus being torn apart, as if it had happened the day before.
Ven stood, and took out his crossbow, holding in his hands. He snarled and shut his eyes, another tear running down his face. He gripped the crossbow as if he were either going to break it in two or throw it clear across the room. Then, he loosened his grip, and assumed a calmer expression, taking in a deep breath, and letting it out slowly. He opened his eyes, and before the tear could fall to the ground, he wiped it away. He sniffed, took up his helmet and goggles, and wore them again, putting his crossbow away.
Ven climbed the crates, and made his way back to the second level. Ven walked toward the back of the room. As he passed Kazo, he spoke, "Servant... of Rostus?" He continued, not even turning to look at Kazo, and entered a door. The alarms ceased, and the doors opened.
Ven continued back, through the hall, looking straight ahead. He continued down into the compound, entering a room through a door not unlike any other. Within, sitting behind a desk, reviewing documents within a folder, was a lower-ranking general, commander of this base and much of western operations. He spoke, "Milspec? So that pesky idiot is gone?" The general looked up at Milspec, Ven, to see Ven holding out his crossbow, bringing it down to line up with his forehead. Ven's face was virtually expressionless. Ven pulled the trigger. The crossbow fired, the twang of the bow silenced by specially made stops. The armor piercing bolt pierced through the generals head, sticking out the back. The general fell over onto the table a moment later, dying without a sound, blood leaking out from his head. A few drops of blood had flown onto Ven as well as his face. Ven stood there for a moment, his expression unchanged, still holding out the crossbow.
Ven then put his crossbow away, and carefully wiped the droplets of blood off of himself. He searched the table, and found a folder marked "Security Priority 1". He picked up this folder, and silently slipped it under his armor in a manner that one could hardly tell any difference. He then walked out of the room. He passed several soldiers who didn't notice anything wrong at all. As he passed by Kazo again, he quickly spoke under his breath, "We were trying to stop him from building the bomb." Ven walked away, towards another door as if he had spoken to nobody.
Kazo picked up Yeln, Yeln immediately climbing into the space left in the backpack. Kazo noticed he was holding a folder he had somehow been given. He followed Ven, hiding behind pipes, boxes, in the shadows whenever other troops passed by. Eventually they reached the hatch. Ven exited, and left the hatch open as if he had expected Kazo to follow him out all along. They continued toward the hangar exit. Ven took out his crossbow again, reloading it. As he passed a building, a soldier that had just emerged spoke, "So you finally got rid of the bas-" Ven held his crossbow out to the side, and without even turning his head or slowing at all, fired, striking the soldier in the head.
They continued forward, through the hangar, and out the exit. They both continued walking towards Endlesslabors, leaving the base behind. Ven stopped, sniffled, took in a deep breath, looked up to the sky, and closed his eyes, letting the wind run through his fur. For a moment, Kazo felt like doing the same. Still, Kazo felt he shouldn't allow such things to get to him. Kazo moved quickly. It was likely the last he would see of Ven as well. Though he had only known Tok for less than a day even, he still felt he would miss him. Kazo remembered Tok, and for a moment, remembered Arkus, Fale, Blitukus... He decided he should not dwell on it, and should rather try to cheer himself up. There was always one thing that always cheered him up, the seldom times he needed it. Kazo took out the folder, and noticed the security label. He smiled, and raised his tail, waving it in the air.
I just LOVE secrets!
He opened the folder. Within he found details of the properties of fissile materials and various theories on obtaining energy from them as well as achieving critical mass. At its heart, it was the theory and plans to build a bomb, a quite odd bomb indeed, not just any bomb. He knew Rostus was a cutthroat businessmen... but not it seemed there could potentially be much more happening than a simple attempt at gaining profit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know I'm probably not using enough thought comments, but none seemed to come naturally. Perhaps I need to plan ahead for it to work. In fact, that seems pretty likely.
[ March 11, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Edit: FIRST POST!!
[ March 11, 2008: Message edited by: Impending Doom ]
The general explanation I have for the use of crossbows is that gunpowder weaponry came too late. High-torque and high-accuracy crossbows were compared against unreliable and inaccurate firearms. Not only that, but 'twang' is less of an announcement than 'BANG'. I'm hoping it's not a bogus take on it, the honest, to the point answer is I thought modern warfare with crossbows was an interesting concept.
And yes, I ended up unsure for a moment if kobolds have a tiny tail or no tail at all. I'll go back and fix that.
[ March 11, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
If it is true that the goal of storytelling is to invoke emotion, then this update was Beyond Beyond Quality, truly!
Poor Tok, that was one of the saddest things I have heard... :(
oh, and for those confused kobolds have NO tails, as stated in AKQ1 because DF kobolds don't have a tail body part.
Actually, I have to admit, I invoked emotion in myself when I wrote it.
Sorry about the following being short, due to some situations catching me by surprise, I got a late start here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeln peeked out of Kazos backpack, looking at the open folder as Kazo made his way back to Endlesslabors. He found that time passed quickly as he analyzed and made sense of what the contents of the folder. The general theory behind it all was described. It was quite clever all in all, a demonstration of the capabilities of technology to perform miracles... it was rather unfortunate Rostus intended to turn a miracle into a calamity. Kazo continued, finding in back a map of a few sites around the west continents, notably including Steelflame, with each site having a specific point marked. Were these targets? Kazo realized, if so, Nefarious had been fooled into selling the very pitchblende that would be used to annihilate her.
This brought up a question Kazo was itching to know the answer to: Why? Rostus would turn no profit from destroying these towns. Then again, perhaps whatever Rostus had in mind ended with more profit than any one person could hope to ever spend... Despite this, another possibility was that these marked points weren't targets at all, and bore some other significance. Kazo shut the folder, and carried it with. Yeln mewed. Kazo smiled at Yeln, and pet him. Yeln rubbed against Kazos hand, and then rubbed against Kazos head, purring, pressing against his neck. Yeln then rested on the back of Kazos shoulder, looking forward, purring. Kazo licked the side of Yeln's head. Yeln tilted his head to one side, then licked Kazos nose. Kazo smiled, and snickered.
As Kazo looked ahead and noticed the folder again, he thought about what he would do about this. He wasn't intent on aiding anyone in building such a thing. He had done many questionable things in his pursuit of knowledge and progress, but he always worked towards improving peoples lives. Such indiscriminate, unnecessary destruction of masses of life was nothing but an embarrassment to the science of technology. Still, Kazo needed fuel. A simple but effective course of action had shown itself. Kazo decided he would accept the new fuel, then while Rostus wasn't looking, critically sabotage his plans to build this weapon. Then, before Rostus had noticed, Kazo would leave, free to adventure wherever he wished.
Kazo thought about it all for a bit more, and found himself nearing Endlesslabors. For some reason, the same train was still there. Kazo noticed his eye, although it still produced an image, had never really refocused properly. Likely the bolt knocked part of it, perhaps one of the crystals, slightly out of alignment. Kazo approached the train, leapt up, landing between two cars, and leapt again, landing on the platform on the other side. Kazo saw the wooden ticket booth, and walked up to it, a dwarf inside, reading a book.
Kazo spoke, "Why hello!" Kazo noted the cost of the tickets, 10 monies, and set his backpack down, Yeln remaining on his shoulder. Kazo drew out enough to pay for it. The dwarf looked at Kazo, "Lucky bastard!" Kazo snickered, "Yes I am, usually!" The dwarf took the money, took out a ticket, filled it out, and handed it to Kazo. Kazo accepted, "Thanks!" The dwarf sat back. Kazo then picked up his backpack again, Kazo stepping back into it, then walked toward the front of the train.
On one end, he saw a guard, hammer drawn, arguing and shouting with another dwarf who was sitting on a bench, his hands handcuffed behind his back. The dwarf on the bench, wearing white clothing and the membership signs for various stonecrafter's guilds, shouted obscenities, "... ****ER DID THAT TO ME ******* GOBLET!" Kazo noticed some of the linkages and latches around the engine were recently repaired, likely having been a little less recently broken. Then, Kazo noticed a stone goblet by the track.
It was a beautifully sculpted piece, made from obsidian. It was detailed with images of demons, detailed down to the finest bit, images that blended into one another seamlessly over rolling clouds, below it, beneath a rim of obsidian, images of an adamantine vein with an intricately detailed image of a fortress that almost seemed to move as it was viewed from different angles. The images of demons were designed with ruby-filled eyes, carved in to give the impression their eyes followed you. Every detail was considered, and it was a goblet fit for the highest nobility... it was all of these things. What Kazo now saw was several pieces of broken obsidian laying by the train tracks.
Kazo noticed the dwarf on the bench working his way out of the handcuffs. A moment later, that dwarf stood and punched the guard, letting out a furious yell. Before the guard could assess the situation fully, let alone complete a swing of his hammer, his hammer was grasped by the furious dwarf and wrenched away, thrown into the air. The guard punched the dwarf, and the dwarf continued on anyway. The furious dwarf hit hard and fast, the guard fighting back, both yelling and throwing swings at one another. Kazo snickered as he watched.
Dwarven anger management... I love chaos! I wonder who'll stop him this time!
Eventually, the guard was knocked unconscious. The furious dwarf yelled and began ripping the guard's armor and clothes off, throwing them in random directions. A bit of chest plate armor flew onto another bench, striking a dwarf sitting there in the face, that dwarf yelling in pain and yelling profanity, his nose bleeding. On the other side of the platform, a dwarf set his mug of ale down on the table next to him. A flying gauntlet punched the mug, knocking it clean off the table, spilling ale all over. A flying boot struck Kazo in the chest. Kazo stepped back, and snickered again. Kazo watched as even shirt and socks were made into projectiles.
When the enraged dwarf had in essence half-stripped the guard, armor and clothing scattered about, he began running toward the ticket booth. The clerk in the booth saw the dwarf running at him, and ceased sorting the ticket stacks, "Ah f*** here we go again!" The clerk hopped out of the booth and ran away. The enraged dwarf stopped at the booth, busted through its front, and used his considerable strength to uproot supports, prying them out and smashing up the rest of the booth with them. Soon, the booth was reduced to planks in a mess on the ground, the carefully organized tickets and notes now littering the platform.
The clerk shouted, "Why the hell'd ya do it again ya dumb s***?!" The dwarf, furious enough, balled up his fists and raised his shoulders, looking the clerk in the eyes. The dwarf yelled furiously and chased the clerk, the clerk running down the platform. Kazo watched them leave, then walked up to the entrance to the front car of the train, handing his tickets to the crewman assigned to the door. Unfortunately, he wouldn't get to see who would stop that dwarf. Likely the dwarf would simply calm down before being stopped. Kazo took a seat, and set his backpack in his lap, Yeln sticking his head out the top of it. This was one of the very few times a dwarfs angry outburst has actually been convenient for someone. Thanks to this, causing the delay of the train, Kazo would be arriving back at Steelflame much sooner. Still, this meant it was all the sooner he would have to figure out how to stop Rostus' plans.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hoping I didn't go too far with the dwarves... I guess there's a few different ways of looking at it.
On the bright side, I guess it ended up being not that short after all.
[ March 12, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Dwarves be'n dwarven! :D
"This is a obsidian Beyond Quality award.
On the item is an image of demons in obsidian, the eyes are made from ruby.
On the item is an image of rolling clouds in obsidian.
On the item is an image of admantine vein and a fortress in obsidian."
At least I won't break it. XP
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several people were already in the train, apparantly having waited a while. More entered every now and then. Yeln hopped out of the backpack and lay in Kazos lap. Kazo relaxed, and welled his mana up towards his front, using it to cast a regenerative field around any damage on him. First, he repaired his eye, feeling a crystal click back into alignment, his vision first blurring worse, then gradually becoming clear and focused again.
Eventually, there was a call to make sure all were aboard, then the doors were closed. The train had been fully repaired and inspected, and was now leaving the station. It proceeded slowly around a loop, then back the way it came on a parallel track, accelerating away from Endlesslabors. Kazo continued repairing the various minor damage present. Yeln snuggled up against Kazo's chest, purring. Kazo grinned, and hugged Yeln, casting a regenerative field around Yeln again. Once again, the field was reflected back, this time amplified. Kazo smiled, noticing the damage on his exterior vanishing. Cats had an unusual level of natural magic ability, and this one seemed especially so. Kazo continued hugging Yeln. Yeln licked Kazos cheek.
Kazo continued petting Yeln, thinking about what had happened, what will happen, and revisiting the folder a few times as the train distanced itself from Endlesslabors, passing through a tunnel. Eventually, Yeln hopped down, and began sniffing the floor, licking his lips. Kazo saw this, got up, and walked to the rear of the car, exiting and proceeding back until he entered a cargo car. A small section of the car had a table resting on it, but previously it had been empty. Now, one of the crew sat, offering various things for sale, conveniently including bits of food.
Kazo walked up, then silently snuck around the back of the table, approaching it, and crouching under it. Then from under the table, he spoke loudly toward the crewman, "Why hello!" The crewman jumped slightly, "What t- Oh... What are you doing under there?" Kazo replied, "I wanted to see if you would notice me! People usually don't." The crewman replied, "What an odd person." Kazo smiled, "Yes I am!" Kazo backed out from under the table. He noted the price of a rather small chunk of meat was 1 moneys, a meal consisting of it likely two or three. Kazo fished out a single 1 money coin, put it on the table, took a small piece of meat, then walked away, waving at the crewman. The crewman spoke, "Right... thanks, I guess!"
Kazo returned back to the car he had originally left. Kazo crouched down, holding the meat out. Yeln, upon seeing it, ran up toward Kazo, crouched down, then leapt up, snatching the piece of meat away and pinning it to the ground, tearing chunks from it as he ate it. Kazo snickered, and watched. Kazo saw a passenger drinking from a rather large metal container. Kazo walked over to her, and spoke, "Hello! Do you mind sharing some of that?" She replied, "Nope, here, just don't drink too much of it. She handed it to Kazo. Kazo spoke, "Thanks!" He then poured some of the liquid, revealing itself to simply be water, into his mouth, then handed it back. She replied, "Sure, part of the reason I bring such a big one is for people who run out."
Kazo smiled, then went back to Yeln. When Yeln had finished much of the meat, Kazo spat the liquid into his cupped hands, offering it to Yeln. Yeln immediately drank deeply from it. When Yeln had finished everything, Kazo went back to his seat, and tossed the remaining slight bit of water out the window. Yeln sat on Kazos lap again, curling up. Kazo smiled, pet Yeln for a bit, then looked outside. The train continued on, distancing itself further from Endlesslabors and the mountains behind, and approaching the mountains harboring Steelflame ahead.
As the train continued on, Kazo reviewed the documents through and through. Still, the question persisted... Why? He could make immense profits by selling the weapons, or even holding towns and cities hostage, but he would only be encasing himself in infamy, and after he died, his money would mean nothing. Only infamy would remain. He could make himself just as wealthy by creating a power source, and unlike making a bomb from this knowledge, this would result in fame and respect, rather than infamy and disgust. Why then did he insist on making a weapon? It seemed there was no personal gain for Rostus to be had. By using the weapon, he would condemn himself to death, and he seemed in no way suicidal. There was the option that he was working for someone else, but his status, as well as his obvious preference for solitude, seemed to make it unlikely.
Eventually, the train approached Steelflame. It slowed as it did so, finally coming to a stop at the station. When the door was opened, Kazo stood, wearing his backpack. He crouched down for a moment so Yeln could climb in. Yeln did so, and afterwards, Kazo made his way into the crowd, proceeding to exit the train. He left the platform, and proceeded toward the entrance to the tunnel. He considered telling Nefarious of what he had discovered, but he didn't want to risk Rostus having any indication that he had even opened the folder.
It would have to wait until after he had sabotaged Rostus' operations. He would stop here for provisions, then after, he would finally get his fuel. Although, he would have to act as if everything were perfectly normal, as doing so would minimize the chance of something going wrong. Still, that chance was there. Kazo wasn't sure what Rostus would do in any case. Kazo smiled. He felt this simply made his time more exciting, and also felt an eagerness to see the result, although it was present among the preexisting curiosity as to what Rostus was really up to in the first place.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I actually don't have any nervous warnings, which means either I did nothing wrong or I did something quite major wrong... I hope for the first. Hmm, that statement might invalidate itself anyway. :p
the only bad thing I can see is that you spent an entire update feeding the cat...
Kazo set his backpack down, and fished out 4 moneys, using it to buy meat. Kazo expected it would last quite a while, rather than relying on food being available elsewhere. He then checked to make sure a pocket of his backpack was suitably clean, and placed it in there. Kazo then wore his backpack, minding where Yeln was as he did so. Kazo spoke, "Thanks! Bye!" The kobold replied, "Goodbye!"
Kazo then left, returning to the front of the tunnel and exiting. Kazo approached the river, and let Yeln drink from it. Afterwards, he and Yeln continued to the top of the dam on their way out. On one side was a beautiful lake, and on the other, before the concrete below, water fell from openings down into the river, continuing on. The lines coming from the adjacent series of transformers indicated that this dam provided power to more than just Steelflame. It was a surprisingly large construction, seen near such a relatively small town. Likely it provided Steelflame with an income though. Kazo smiled, "That's quite an investment!" Yeln looked down off the edge of the dam, and mewed agreeingly.
Kazo continued, Yeln sleeping most of the way in Kazos backpack. He continued toward and up the mountains once again, the sun moving through the sky as the day carried on. When he reached the top of the mountain, he spotted the trail he had followed to the tribe. He pulled his necklace out from beneath his coat... the old golden necklace, quite beautiful and very well designed, with the intricately crafted image of a sun and a shooting star on it. It was still quite a beautiful thing, and would likely remain so for eons to come.
Kazo and Yeln stopped at the spring, then they made their way down the mountain to the town below. Kazo continued, carrying Yeln in his backpack most of the time, eventually reaching a point near the town and stopping at the stream, continuing into town from there. He then walked past the farms, past the wooden buildings, across to the hatch, leading down into Rostus' dwelling. Kazo looked around, and saw Rostus emerging from a nearby wooden building, looking like a garage of sorts.
As Rostus approached, Yeln hid behind Kazo's back, his ears laid back. Kazo spoke to Rostus, "Hello! So what's in there?" Rostus replied, "Ah, just a vehicle of mine. It's something from before I went out of business, something I could not sell. I have made... certain modifications to it, that I wish to remain proprietary. That aside, have you my papers?" Kazo handed the folder over, "This should be it!" Rostus replied, looking through the folder, "Very good... this is just what I needed. Now, I have spent the time awaiting your return in producing excess fuel for you. I shall see to my end of the bargain. Follow."
Kazo followed Rostus as Rostus opened the hatch and entered. Yeln hopped out, preferring to remain outside. It was late in the day and had cooled enough, but still... Kazo spoke, "Is everything O.K.?" Yeln replied, "Merrrrr." Kazo continued, "Why do you want to stay outside?" Yeln continued. "Merr!" Kazo spoke, "I have nothing against that! I won't take long!" Kazo then continued, following Rostus, leaving Yeln outside but also leaving the hatch open should Yeln want to come in.
Kazo and Rostus reached the front area of the lab Kazo had previously seen. Rostus gestured for Kazo to lay down atop an idle piece of machinery nearby. Kazo did so, popping his chest plate open. Rostus walked around a corner of the room, and walked back a bit later in a lead suit, with a tightly sealed metal cylinder. Kazo spoke, "So what kind of health risks are there for you?" Rostus smiled, "I doubt such things will be relevant for me, as their effects would manifest after my life has ended anyway." Kazo replied, "I see!"
Rostus leaned over, peering into Kazos chest. He attempted to analyze what he saw, tilted his head, then scritched the top of his own head, "Hmm... I assume this is it. Will you be able to sleep through this?" Kazo replied, "I could, but why would I?" Rostus replied, "Because... nevermind. Just hold still." Kazo spoke, "Sure thing!"
Meanwhile, outside, someone had shut the hatch, and now Yeln was attempting to get in, unsuccessfully.
Rostus spoke, opening a drawer under Kazo, "Right then..." Rostus pulled out what appeared to be a screwdriver, and reached into Kazos chest. He then began unscrewing something from where Kazos power source was. Kazo tried to see what was happening but, thanks to his own chest plate, he couldn't. Kazo could feel the torque build whenever Rostus began unscrewing a screw, then suddenly release when the screw began to turn. Half way through this, Rostus pushed the rods all the way in, Kazos power source gradually becoming dormant.
Rostus continued, and eventually, he pried something off with his screwdriver. Kazo immediately felt a sharp cold in his chest, seeing Rostus place what was likely the top cover of the power source to the side. Rostus looked closer, his eyes seeming to enlarge for a brief moment, "Whoa! Erm... Yes, then..." Rostus began whistling, quickly glancing back and forth between two points on the device, perhaps in comparison... perhaps in choosing one of the two arbitrarily. Rostus chose the point, opened the container, revealing its metallic contents, and took the small silvery white pieces out.
He reached down into Kazos chest, and, trusting his gloves, removed some things and replaced it with what he had in his cylinder, each ending with a slight snap. Kazo also noticed Rostus retrieve something, likely a tool, a moment afterwards, a snap, Kazo feeling something pressing against his heart. Likely it was just a tool to help. Rostus placed the lustrous, yellowish metal he retrieved from Kazos power core into his cylinder, stopping to carefully examine the last one before placing it in too and shutting the cylinder. Rostus then placed the cover back on to Kazos power core, and screwed it shut again. Afterwards, he shut Kazos chest plate.
Kazo stood. Rostus smiled, "Now, let us discuss your next mission." Kazo spoke, "Thanks for the fuel! I don't think I need to work with you anymore, but thanks for the offer!" Rostus continued, "Yes, actually, you do. You see saurian, you've made a critical mistake." Kazo asked, "Really? What's that?"
Rostus continued, "You trusted me! I knew the moment I assigned you to retrieve these documents that you would look through them yourself, and maybe even begin plotting against me. That dream was to warn me about you... As a businessman, I can't turn down an opportunity to turn a liability into an asset. You may have noticed something against your heart. Listen carefully. I am not unwise in the ways of magic, as you might have noticed... I am now capable of ending you at any moment I should choose, so you indeed will do what I say. There is a timer and a switch. Should you choose to flee without accomplishing your task, the timer will kill you. Should you attempt to remove it in any way, the switch will kill you. If you refuse or act against me, I will kill you. As you understand, adamantine is a scarce commodity these days, and as such, your lifespan is rather limited either way at this moment, but, by doing these tasks, you will earn yourself a longer stay. Do listen carefully..."
Kazo stood and listened, but thought about the situation as well. Rostus' smile faded slightly as he saw Kazo smile. Likely Rostus thought he had made his way to a complete victory. Kazo saw this as simply an already interesting challenge gaining a new layer of complexity and variety. Kazo saw this not as an end, but merely a delay. He even felt curious as to what Rostus was going to assign him. This also brought up another question... how exactly did Rostus know about magic in an era where virtually none existed?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I sort of get the feeling that I did something wrong in Rostus' lines or one of the events. Ah well, nothing seems imminent.
THAT MOTERFU*ING BASTARD OF A ***** ****** ******************, DAMN YOU ROSTUS! :mad:
...
Beyond Quality.
*Apache begins pulling various levers in a bunker. A large hole in the ground is revealed by retracting bridges, as mechanisms click in to place within a large cylinder in the hole.*
Wow, that elicited a much stronger feeling than I expected with Armok at least.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rostus spoke, "I have a liability in Shadedports that you will take care of! Quite a while ago indeed, my business was endangered by one news reporter there who threatened to, shall we say, spread libel regarding my business." He chuckled, "His son found him dead in his bed. Alas, the poor boy was forced to wander the streets, having no other family. Quite a long time indeed has passed since then, years. This boy, Tacaru Wanderbroken, now belongs to a criminal faction there, the reds, specifically."
Rostus paused for a moment, then continued, "There are two major criminal factions for you to observe, though they've had different names under different leaderships. Their colors have remained the same, so it is convenient to refer to them as the reds and purples. They are two entirely different types, actually. The reds, with their black and blood-red colors, are in essence a bunch of thieves, thugs, prostitutes, muggers, lowlife scum of every type. Avoid confrontation with them. If a conversation doesn't proceed their way, they often finish it with violence. The purples, specifically with their noble-purple and golden colors, are a much more civilized group. They are much like a business, with a highly organized system of racketeering, fraud, contraband running, black marketing, and exploitation of the local government. Indeed, the leader of the purples happens to be the mayor of Shadedports."
Rostus looked straight at Kazo, "Now that you know enough to know who to talk to and who not to, I will tell you the obvious. I want Tacaru dead. He has received... robbed people of... information regarding my current business, and may soon find out what I did to his father. As you may understand, this news must never be printed. Silence it. The purples have always infringed on red territory, and the reds have a habit of vandalizing, raiding, and otherwise inhibiting the profits of purple business outlets. As such, they are enemies. I don't know his whereabouts, but Tacaru, being a red, might be located through a business deal with the purples. Just a recommendation... There is no pressure for time here, you have ample time on your timer as I do want this done properly, and I do want your adamantine self to return under its own power. A freight caravan will be leaving Steelflame for Shadedports in a third of a day."
Kazo asked, "So why are you doing this? What's the profit in bombing towns?" Rostus replied, "That is not my profit, rather it's profit for my master. A few atomic detonations in sensitive, high profile areas, when done properly, can stir up quite the political mess. Indeed, it can stir up quite a war, a war to engulf the world over... a bloody war indeed! It will be beautiful! Now leave. I shall await your return!" Kazo replied, "I see." Kazo then walked away, back up the corridor, ascending out of the hatch.
As soon as he had surfaced, Yeln immediately leapt onto his chest. Kazo grabbed hold of Yeln, smiling. Yeln exclaimed, "Meeeweew!?" Kazo replied, "Looks like he put something in that can kill me if he doesn't like what I'm doing. So he wants me to kill Tacaru in Shadedports..." Kazo walked away with Yeln, away from the hatch, out of conceivable earshot, "... Rostus killed his father. I can only imagine what he'd do to Rostus! Then I can look around for notes on how to safely remove whatever this is. I think I'll just go to Shadedports. This should be fun!" Yeln replied, looking right at Kazo, "Meww... Mew?" Kazo snickered, "Yes I am!"
They continued out of the city, Yeln hopping down and walking alongside Kazo, rubbing against Kazos legs as Kazo petted him and eventually started entertaining them both. They continued out of town, Yeln hopping in Kazos backpack after drinking at the river. Kazo thought the situation through as they returned back the way they came. He would have time after arriving back at Steelflame. He would restock his provisions, and he also no longer had any reason to hold back telling Nefarious about the situation. Kazo smiled. He also wondered what Nefarious would do regarding Rostus... he snickered, comparing what he expected Nefarious would do to what he expected Tacaru would do.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I find yet again, nothing in particular strikes me as being potentially wrong, which means either nothing is wrong or I made a more fundamental error.
[ March 15, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
How can Kazo be so sure he can find how to remove it after killing Rostus, what if he didn't write it down, or other unforeseen consequences?
Actually, I thought about that, and figured that the documented notes in the folder, along with others present in his lab that I probably made the mistake of not mentioning, indicated he took notes of quite a bit. Really, basically every scientist should have his or her stuff written down somewhere.
On top of it, there isn't really any other way for Kazo to get out of it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As Kazo swiftly made his way over the mountain, he noticed his power returning. The new fuel did work, it seemed, but it seemed sort of thick and sluggish compared to the fuel he had beforehand. Likely the fuel Rostus had provided was of an inferior type or quality to the ones he had started with. Despite this, it seemed he could allow himself more freedom in the use of magic, seeing as his fuel stores had been at least partially refilled.
Eventually, the sun now having set, Kazo approached Steelflame, and entered. He continued through the tunnels, back toward the food store again. It seemed a shift change had occurred, as a different shopkeeper approached. She took her seat, yawning, "'ello. 'at coat looks... Say, aren't you that dino guy I saw in the arena?" Kazo snickered, "Yes I am!" Kazo then set down his backpack, reached down past Yeln to fish out 2 moneys, then placed them down on the table, taking a 2 money bit of meat and packing it up.
Kazo spoke, "Thanks, goodbye!" The shopkeeper replied, "Bye, and that's a good show ya did back there!" Kazo smiled, put his backpack back on, waved, and left. He then immediately continued back to Nefarious' room, found the door to be unlocked, and entered. Nefarious sat on her bed, her table dragged up to it. She had her glasses on, and was looking through a few papers. Kazo approached, and spoke, "Why hello! I have news for you!" She replied, "I got some for you too. Those a**holes in charge of national integrity over in the east are tryin' to force me and a few towns nearby to appoint sheriffs! We hardly need no law 'round here, and when we do, I'm the law! I vote nay, if they want a sheriffs they can damn have one, no need to force it on us! What idiot thought this was a good idea?"
She looked down at the page, and began writing a rant at the previously empty bottom. Kazo smiled, "I see. You're quick to be annoyed by their influence." Nefarious replied, "Long story short, out here people like to govern themselves, but the big central office over east likes to get as much power as it can get its sticky hands on. I can't help but get pissed when some big fat human sitting in some high office somewhere decides he's gunna mess with the systems I set out for these people!"
She sighed, then a moment later, continuing her rant on the paper, laughed, "A lot of 'em won't mess with me directly though, 'cause they know I'll just make an a** of 'em! OK, what's yer news?" Kazo spoke, "Rostus was planning to utterly annihilate you with a nuclear explosive! He also put something inside of me he wants to kill me with!" Nefarious laughed, "And Tok Hammerblazes is captain of the guard!" Kazo spoke, "Tok Hammerblazes is no longer with us."
A moment passed. Nefarious let out a breath through her nose, "You're dead serious, aren't you?" Kazo replied, "Yes, actually! I'm also waiting for the caravan to arrive." Another moment passed. Nefarious smiled, "Guess I'll just have to show him what I think of that. Hah, I'm gunna think of a few things to do with that radioactive stuff he has! If he's gunna kill you, we might as well make your time waiting here worth somethin'. Wanna play Tacticus?" Kazo replied, "I think I'll survive, but sure!"
Nefarious got up and walked to the other side of the room, retrieving a small box and carrying it back to the table. Kazo fondly remembered Tacticus. It was one of his favorite games. He recalled reading about its origins with the dragons during their bronze age. It began as a simple exercise in adapting to random situations, and although it's evolved, it always kept that spirit to one degree or another. Nefarious sat at the other end of the table, Kazo bringing up a chair and taking a seat. As she unpacked it, and set up the terrain, Kazo noticed some difference in the terrain, pieces, and rulebooks available. Kazo asked, "So what's the more recent history of Tacticus?"
Nefarious smiled, "My favorite story's gotta be the grandmaster, the mathematician and the tape-fed calculating machine back in 1781. The mathematician made probability his hobby, and after a game with the grandmaster they got in a big ol' argument about what the ideal rule set is. The grandmaster said that the rules always lead to the same strategy, killing the old spirit, and all the different combinations of rules were already gone through. The mathematician said this was bullsh*t, and set out to prove him wrong. Long story short, the whole tacticus league and a lot of the science board ended up getting involved in this, and the mathematician ended up inventing a more flexible kind of calculating machine that ran on a tape, goin' back and forth and changin' stuff on a tape 'til it reached a designated stop. He made an interpreter to go with it, then used the stuff to machine-generate random rule sets! He showed if you make new units part of Tacticus, then 'cause technology always gives new units as time goes on, you have new possibilities for rule sets poppin' up way faster 'n anyone could ever use 'em! Granted they had to do a lotta weedin' out to find rule sets that made sense, let alone ones that were good."
She finished setting out the pieces, then handed Kazo a rulebook, "Rule set A4 1781, one of the first ones outta that tape machine! The tokens here are the 1800 centennial stock. Funny thing about the tape machine is it's not really random. It looks random but if you put the exact same instruction set in with all the starting variables the same, it spits out the same rule set." Kazo smiled, "That's very interesting! I think I'll read about it when this is all over!" Kazo read through the rules, and familiarized himself with the new units. The rules were indeed very random, which Kazo had always found made for a more interesting game. It seemed magic had also disappeared from the Tacticus board... he used to try to mask himself as a harmless newbie using the river crystal farm method, to cause his opponent to let their guard down, but now crystal farming was useless, as crystals had lost much of their significance. The upside was all of these new units allowed for brand new strategies.
Nefarious spoke, "Ok, place. Doesn't matter we're short two, just go anyway." They set up their units on the board, Nefarious preferring more modern units, Kazo preferring more traditional units. Nefarious looked at Kazos position, and snickered, "Is that the ol' Iron Delta? I thought that stuff was for history books!" Kazo replied, "It probably is!" Kazo noticed that although he had spend his starting points on a balance of units, Nefarious spent it on a single airship as Command and two plated crossbowmen, investing all leftover points into the crossbowmen.
The game commenced, and Kazo moved, setting up a foothold on his side of the map and spreading forth, moving pieces one by one... meanwhile Nefarious did nothing. He expected Nefarious was trying to lure Kazos units toward the crossbowmen, spending everything on defense to drag out the game. Kazo decided to follow a similar tactic to force her to act, "Fortifications on 1F, 3C, 8C, and 9D." Nefarious snickered, "Rule 48, exponential stat multiplier to group of 4 over E, all to the N, for E is the number of units in the group and N is the number of Schist Fortifications of the enemy. My Legendary Crossbowmen get a multiplier of (4/2)^4, or 16. They now have a range of 800 and a damage rating of 320 each. Have fun!" Kazo spoke, "That's an exploit borderline on cheating..." Nefarious adjusted her glasses, smiling, "Yep, borderline!"
Nefarious then began using her crossbowmen as mobile artillery units, pushing Kazos units out of the way. As they played, Nefarious spoke, "Ya know, there was one time I lost an election for mayor here." Kazo asked, "Really? So how did that happen?" Nefarious answered, "Well the poll results came in, and it turned out just about everyone here voted for me... but all their pets and all the named livestock voted against me. Funny how that worked, so I let him take office and went back to the crowds myself. The people knew somethin' went wrong, none of 'em voted for the guy! On the first day the High Mayor ate a lot of produce, so to speak. On the second day, they all found out what happened. A mob formed outside this here room, charged through the door, picked him right up off the ground, carried him out and threw him on the dirt. The same crowd picked me up, threw me in the office, closed the door an' told me to get back to work." She laughed.
They played for a while longer, eventually Kazo getting pinned down by the river. He had his miners enter the riverbank, "Rule 18 section B, Mining skill counts for fishing under imminent defeat." Nefarious chuckled, "The last supper?" She moved her two crossbowmen into position to take out all key units, when Kazo spoke again, "Rule 32, units can be teleported by the power manifest in 5 lungfish!" Nefarious spoke, "That's an illegal type for the river!" Kazo smiled, "Not for the mud bank right by it! Teleport support Kappa to M5." Kazo moved some pieces. Nefarious replied, "Goodbye swordmongers." She removed two of Kazos high pieces from near her crossbowmen.
Kazo ordered the supporting archers to light their arrows, and rolled a critical hit, "My archers fire and destroy!" Nefarious spoke, "Support units can't damage heavy fliers, and it'd glance away anyway!" Kazo pointed to the die, "Trait 3 of the Airship unit, critical piercing hits nullify all unit-proofing, Trait 5, Airships have a -50 handicap on flame resistance. Those wooden gondolas don't look fireproof!" Nefarious remembered it, then spoke, "Gah, you sank my airship!" Kazo snickered.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Really, my main concern is that I rendered Tacticus wrong. I looked around the forum and thought it was just a random, appendable-with-varying-difficulty ruleset that governed the game.
Ah, Tacticus! ;)
quote:
Really, my main concern is that I rendered Tacticus wrong. I looked around the forum and thought it was just a random, appendable-with-varying-difficulty ruleset that governed the game.
I more meant the feel. I'm not trying to make a copy of the forum game.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo continued, "Rule 7, losing your command unit makes one of your crossbowmen have melancholy, the other have a fell mood." Nefarious tossed the die for a saving throw and rolled up 1-1... loss of 1 unit to suicide on the next turn. Nefarious proceeded to have the other crossbowman use the fell mood to make artifact bone bolts to arm the crossbow with, using the bones of the suicided crossbowman. Kazo had his units mob in toward the lone crossbowman... and although they were picked off one by one, they closed in.
Kazo spoke, "So what are the most recent developments in science?" Nefarious replied, "I don't know much news about anything other 'n farming science or mining science. I did hear there was some rocket guy up in Creeksmith sittin' up in the northwest continents. The guy's got a dream of flyin' into space. He made a little rocket to see how high he could get it to go on different fuels, and on the first day it wen' off to the middle o' nowhere an' blew up in the sky! Half the people think he's a joke an' the other half think he's crazy... 'cept me. He's a young'n still, if he manages to show some real progress, I'll invite 'im right over an' give 'im all the stuff he needs for it!"
Kazo responded, "So what if he fails?" Nefarious snickered, "Either we get something up there... or we get a good fireworks show. Either way it'll be quite the sight!" Kazo smiled, then looked off toward the corner of the table, looking at nothing. Nefarious spoke, "It's your turn ya know!" Kazo snapped back to his senses, "Yes! Sorry, that just reminded me of some things I did when I was younger..." They continued playing, Nefarious strategically placing the lone crossbowman to take full advantage of range and the terrain. Eventually though, with the last of his units, Kazo surrounded the crossbowman.
Nefarious spoke, "Yep, well looks like ya won. Good game!" Kazo smiled, "Thanks!" Kazo looked to his side. Yeln, who had been watching the game, half asleep, yawned. Kazo smiled, pressing his cheek against Yeln's. Yeln nuzzled Kazos face, seeming to smile himself. Kazo snickered. Nefarious spoke, "Well, the caravan's supposed to show up any minute now. If ya manage to get back, tell me what happened!" Kazo replied, "Sure thing! Bye!" Nefarious spoke, "Good luck!"
Nefarious and Kazo stood, stowed the game board back into the box, then parted. As Kazo walked back toward the tunnel, he reviewed the situation. There was a real chance he wouldn't make it back. For all he knew, there might be truly no way to remove whatever it was in his chest. Still, there was also a very real chance that he would make it out just fine. The actual result of all this was in actuality fairly unpredictable, but Kazo found this actually didn't bother him that much. It was one of the few occasions where it was best to do it without thinking too much about it.
Kazo continued to the front of the tunnel. He exited, and found a caravan of civilian trucks at the trade depot, humans and kobolds negotiating, crates and barrels being moved back and forth. Kazo quietly and carefully walked to the depot, the night sky above. He crouched down, sneaking behind the crates, gently knocking on them to see how hollow they were. He noticed some of the barrels were labeled as distilled water, but their sound indicated something of slightly different density. Likely they were a different type of distilled product. Eventually, he snuck around a kobold and human haggling, reaching a large crate behind them. Kazo snickered. This was a chance to test how secure their cargo handling is.
Kazo attempted to slowly open the crate, and found it was entirely unlocked. He slowly opened it, and silently climbed in, placing his backpack on the other side, Yeln poking his head out. The kobold broker commented, "Hey, wasn' that closed a minute ago?" The human shrugged, "Maybe." They continued their discussion. Kazo began to snicker, but moderated it. The human forgot the crate being open, and attempted to sit on it, finding himself sitting on the metal latch piece instead. The human spoke, "What the..." The human then, not noticing Kazo and Yeln, shut the crate and sat on it. The crate he was sitting on emitted a barely audible snicker. The human and kobold continued their conversation.
Time passed. Eventually, Kazo felt the crate being lifted. Yeln noticed as well, "Mew?" Kazo replied, "Sussh!" He felt the crate being placed onto an elevated surface. He then heard more crates and barrels being loaded in, followed by the slamming shut of the tailgate. A few moments later, the engine started, and Kazo noticed the acceleration of their departure.
Some time passed. Kazo was worried Yeln might be painfully bored in the crate and there might not be enough air, but he found there was enough air flow and playing with Yeln was quite entertaining for them both despite the limited space. Eventually, the engine sputtered, and the vehicle came to a stop. Both the driver and the passenger got out, and he could tell by the tone of the voice, the passenger was a dwarf. Kazo listened to their conversation.
"I ain't the one who forgot it?"
"Someone forgot to fill the damn tank, it wasn't me!"
They walked to the back, and the sound of a barrel being moved could be heard.
"Hey! What'r ya doin' with THAT?"
"We'll make it on time. Period."
"THAT'S ME BOOZE! WHAT- HEY!"
There was a loud CLUNK.
"Cool it!"
"NO!"
The sound of something lighter being moved could be heard.
"What- PUT ME DOWN! WHAT ARE Y-"
The sound of rope on metal could be heard.
"UNTIE ME RIGHT NOW!"
"No."
The sound of fluids flowing could be heard.
"ME BOOOOOZE! YOU DARE DISGRACE THE BOOZE?!"
A few moments later, the flowing stopped, the barrel was replaced, and one person could be heard entering the cabin.
"Y-... Yer gunna untie me right?"
The engine started, popping and occasionally banging, running quite awkwardly, but still running.
"RIGHT?"
Kazo felt the vehicle accelerate, the engine speeding up.
"Hey! HEEEY!"
Kazo snickered.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a test of putting dialog events in that format, hopefully making it easier to read, although it might bloat the length a bit much. If the old format was better I can edit this to consolidate it.
[ March 17, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
(just so peaple don't get worried)
Kazo stepped out of the crate, Yeln doing the same. He saw a very odd vessel docked. It was quite large with very large crates stacked upon its deck, a crane nearby. Likely it was a powered barge of some kind, but Kazo noted smokestacks on it and a rather square superstructure. In fact, there were quite a few features present he hadn't seen on a barge before. He stood for a few moments, analyzing the technological equivalent of the standard barge, but he was interrupted by the dwarf yelling, "DAMMIT!" Kazo snickered, and hopped down, seeing the dwarf tied to the side of the truck, his feet dangling above the ground.
Kazo walked up to the dwarf, and untied him. The dwarf immediately tore himself from the ropes and ran towards the building, entering it. A moments later, a loud, violent chorus of shouting started, punctuated by the clang of items being thrown. Kazo laughed. Yeln commented, "Mewww..." Kazo walked away from the dock toward the open gate leading out to the street, several tall, run-down looking buildings immediately after. Yeln followed. This was shadedports... and as Kazo looked at the soot-covered buildings, some people walking alongside the streets appearing to be up to no good, Kazo thought, it looked basically as he had expected it to.
As Kazo exited, he bumped into a human. The human shoved him against a wall, then walked away. Yeln walked up to Kazo, one ear forward, one back, "Merww..." Kazo picked Yeln up, and began petting him, crossing the street and walking alongside the street opposite the dock. This was a large city, and finding Tacaru would be quite difficult most likely. He needed information, and though Rostus had recommended the purples, dealing with them might be difficult. Kazo snickered. At least it would prove an interesting challenge.
Kazo saw ahead a muscular male human, tattooed and smoking a cigarette, arms folded, a small piece of red cloth sticking out of his pocket. The human looked into an alley, looked closer, then let his arms down. Kazo looked into the alley. A kobold wearing a thick coat stood in the alley, counting coinage as a pair of young humans walked away, smoking something that didn't quite look like cigarettes. The kobold finished counting, then walked out, walking alongside the street. The human scowled, grunted angrily, and began walking quickly toward the kobold. A moment later, the human stopped. The kobold was reaching into his coat in a rather menacing way, smiling confidently, almost mockingly at the human. The human clenched his fists, and looked at the kobold with a scowl, eyes half shut, "Errrh..." The kobold snickered with a grin, waved, and walked away.
As Kazo walked by, the human looked at him opportunistically. Kazo kept walking, wondering if this human was considering unwarranted aggression or something else. A few moments later, Kazo was knocked forward by a blow to the back of the head... although this did little more than answer his question. Yeln hopped away. Kazo turned around to find the human looking down at him, cigarette still there, throwing another swing. Kazo ducked under it, but another was on its way. Before it could land, Kazo kicked the human in the gut. The human grunted and bent over slightly, throwing an uppercut.
Kazo jumped to the side, and swung a kick at the humans head, landing it and leaving rather deep scratches. Before the human could react, Kazo grabbed his head, and shocked him quite a bit through it. The human grunted and struggled, grunted louder, then yelled. Kazo let go and swung his whole body around, tailwhipping the human in the head, knocking him to the side. The human stumbled and fell to the ground. As the human attempted to get back up, Kazo stomped the humans head, smashing his face against the road. The human half-grunted.
Trying to steal from me has always been a bit of a bad idea. I think I inherited that from my parents!
Kazo walked away again, leaving the likely unconscious human back on the side of the road. Yeln followed close to Kazo. It seemed it might be quite difficult to negotiate at all with these people. Kazo continued. Likely there was an opportunity somewhere ahead. Kazo smiled. Despite it all, he couldn't help but enjoy a new type of challenge.
I just love new things!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can't pin it down exactly, but I get the feeling something was wrong about the whole update, that something doesn't feel right. Then again, that might just be my general concern getting amplified as the night went on.
[ March 18, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
quote:
Originally posted by Armok:
<STRONG>Beyond Quality.(just so peaple don't get worried)</STRONG>
He entered a small hall with a door to the rest of the warehouse. A kobold guarded the door. Another yell could be heard. Kazo looked in a window, and saw a kobold strapped to a chair, another two kobolds standing nearby, holding various implements, blood on the floor beneath. One of the two spoke, "Enough red for you?" Kazo turned back to the door, but as he approached it, the kobold guarding it pulled out a hand crossbow, and aimed it at Kazos head, an expression of joy on his face. Kazo approached anyway, noticing the purple tag on the kobolds shirt.
I might be able to get information AND do society a favor here!
The kobold chuckled, grinned, and fired. The kobolds expression turned to unpleasant surprise when the bolt glanced away, flying up into the air and falling back to the ground. Kazo snickered, and kept approaching, "I'll just go in there!" The kobold replied, "F*** you!" The kobold then drew a dagger, approaching Kazo. Kazo noticed the kobold grin suddenly and begin to approach Yeln. Yeln backed away, "MEWW! HSS!" Kazo immediately drew his spear, and jumped in front of the kobold, stabbing him in the gut. The kobold gagged. Kazo shocked the kobold through the spear, then pulled it out. The kobold fell back, simultaneously trying to gasp and yell in a manner that created an odd rasping sound, cut short.
NEVER threaten kitty!
Yeln, fur rather poofed up, pressed himself against Kazos leg. Kazo dropped the spear, and picked Yeln up. Yeln stopped for a moment to press his head against Kazo's, then scrambled into the backpack. Kazo took up his spear again, and crossed through the door. The two kobolds with purple tags standing by the chair immediately noticed this. The kobold with a red scarf in the chair seemed half-unconscious and very heavily injured, likely incapable of noticing. The two purples drew their crossbows, and aimed at Kazo.
Kazo held his spear back as they fired. One bolt hit Kazo in the neck, the other in the chest, both glancing away without doing any harm. Kazo completed the motion, hurling the spear at one, that one jumping out of the way. Kazo formed an explosive orb in his other hand, with a weak wall feeding on a mana stream. Kazo threw it at the other, mana stream trailing from his hand. The other kobold jumped away as well, but as the orb flew past, Kazo cut mana flow, causing the wall to fail and the orb to explode midair in very close proximity. The kobold was knocked hard to the ground, and stayed there.
The other kobold stood frozen for a moment at the sight of this, then ran. out another door. Kazo snickered, a moment later walking up to the unconscious kobold. Kazo picked him up, and looked at the red in the chair, strapped down, the floor below colored with blood. Kazo carried this kobold out the door, noticed another kobold, marked with red, walking along the other side of the street, crossed the street, and set the unconscious kobold down. Kazo walked back. The red checked an alley, turned around, and approached the unconscious purple. The rather large and muscular red stood over the purple, grinning.
The purple began to wake up. The red drew a dagger, and pulled the purple up by the back of the shirt. The purple tried to struggle, but it didn't work. The red slammed the purple chest against the wall, and pressed the blade of his dagger against the purples neck. The red then pressed himself against the purples back, grabbing the purples butt, chuckling and grinning, "Let's go to prison together, b*tch!" This, combined with the dagger against his neck, seemed to make the purples eyes grow larger. The purple struggled even more. Kazo snickered, and walked back inside.
Kazo untied the kobold sitting in the chair, pulled him up, then gently placed him down away from the chair. The kobold tried to look at Kazo, but lay flat, sighing. Kazo spoke, placing his hands on the kobolds head, "Hold still!" Kazo then began to heal the kobold from the head down. Kazo found his regenerative fields mending quite a bit of damage to flesh and some to bone as well. Eventually Kazo found the kobolds liver was beginning to bleed into the rest of the body. Kazo used very careful force manipulation to stop the bleeding in time and clean some of the mess before mending the wound. Kazo continued. It took a bit of time and energy, but eventually, he finished.
The kobold had fallen unconscious during the healing. Kazo waited for a few moments, and eventually, the kobold came to. They both stood, the kobold doing so rather slowly, shaking. The kobold then hugged Kazo, shedding a tear, "It's a miracle! Anything you want, promise! Those guys were crazy!" Kazo accepted. The kobold sniffed. Kazo spoke, "Well, I'd like to know where Tacaru is. Also, I'd like to know why you were in here if you don't mind!" The kobold spoke, "Away from the dock... three streets down, to the right another two, then to the left from there. It's the warehouse there. Those purples took me in here 'cause they wanted to scare us. They needed to make an example of someone an'... an' I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." The kobold shuddered, "It's wrong, all of it! I gotta get outta here, outta this town! But I got nowhere to go!"
Kazo asked, "So you want to leave this whole lifestyle behind?" The kobold replied, "After that, I don't want anything more to do with it!" He shut his eyes for a few moments. Kazo let go, the kobold doing the same. Kazo then took his backpack off, set it down, and took out enough money to cover fare, offering it to the kobold, "Talk to Nefarious in Steelflame! Things are better over there!" His hand shaking, the Kobold accepted it, but then moved Kazo's sleeve up, revealing Kazo's 3-fingered hand, covered with blue metallic scales. Kazo smiled, the glow of his eyes visible for a moment. The kobold hesitated, "Am... Am I insane now?" Kazo smiled, "That's a question I've found difficult to answer myself!
The kobold shook his head, then pocketed the money, "Thanks. You know... if we ever meet again, maybe we could talk some more? I gotta go, now. I... I don't wanna even think about them catching me again." The kobold then let out a deep, shaky breath, and began making his way to the door. Kazo spoke as the kobold exited, "Good luck!" It seemed Kazo now had a new friend as well as the information he needed, and Tacaru, well, likely just his hideout, was much closer than Kazo had expected. Still, there was the issue of making it back in time as well. Rostus had a time frame in mind. Rostus also expected Tacaru to be dead. Kazo smiled as he thought about it, and thought about the rather large crossbow he had been carrying around. Rostus wouldn't expect Kazo to gain the help of Tacaru, or even bring Tacaru back, alive and well armed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As nothing really stands out I might as well not be silly about this :p
Kazo continued, past a few houses, three streets down, to the right. As he walked, he noticed what appeared to be a cafe, although all the windows were broken, planters knocked over and shattered, and the inside was a mess all over the place, bolts sticking out of the walls in a manner that indicated that the building was fired upon from the outside, through the window. Kazo also noticed a small, empty lot, and shortly after, a deep buzzing of an engine approaching.
The buzzing grew louder. Kazo turned around to see a large vehicle headed straight for him at high speed. Kazo quickly jumped out of the way, Yeln hopping out and crouching down by the fence surrounding the empty lot. The vehicle slowed, and turned around at the intersection, turning to face Kazo again. The driver emerged from the open window, holding a hand crossbow. The driver was a male human, wearing rather expensive looking clothes and a purple hat with golden lining on the edge of the broad brim. The hand crossbow was gold plated in parts and had elegant designs present on it. The vehicle itself was designed in an elegant way, a class statement in itself.
Kazo looked at the purple in the vehicle... one purple had run away when he had interrupted the torture session. It seemed that purple had friends... The vehicle accelerated toward Kazo, the driver aiming, and firing. Kazo stood still. The bolt struck Kazo in the head, knocking his head back a little, but otherwise glancing away.
When will these people learn that those things don't work on me?
Kazo drew his spear. The driver was surprised at all this, but pulled himself back in, accelerating toward Kazo. Kazo build up an electric orb of mana on the tip of his spear, using the charge of the spear to aid in filling it. As the vehicle passed, Kazo leapt out of the way, swinging his spear, catapulting the orb at the engine grate. The orb was absorbed by the grate itself. The vehicle slowed and turned again, immediately accelerating back toward Kazo. Kazo built up as much charge as he could on the spear, and as the vehicle approached again, he hurled the spear at the vehicle, jumping out of the way again.
The spear went through the engine grate and struck the engine itself, discharging completely into it. Kazo ran after the vehicle as its engine popped, and stopped. The vehicle slowed. The driver attempted to start the engine again to no avail. Kazo cought up to the front of the vehicle and snatched his spear back, prying it loose. The driver ducked down as Kazo threw the spear through the windshield, shattering part of it.
The driver attempted to pull it loose, but the spear shocked him. The driver grunted loudly, and yelled a bit. On the next attempt, he used some paper booklets as insulation. Kazo watched as the spear was tossed aside. The driver tried to start the engine again, this time succeeding. The vehicle turned around again. Kazo began thinking of all the different types of magic he could cast to resolve this situation... but this was too easy. For the fun of the challenge, Kazo thought up a method involving no magic at all.
As the vehicle sped toward him, Kazo leapt back. Kazo landed on his back, the vehicle passing over him. As the vehicle passed, Kazo dug his claws into the underside of the vehicle, tearing through some wires and hoses. Kazo's hand snagged on the undercarriage as that section of it passed, violently jerking Kazo into motion. Kazo immediately let go, sliding under a tire, and promptly getting sucked under it. Kazo found himself slammed down to the ground, back down. Kazo lay there for a moment, noticing his arms and back were now rather sore, then got up, noticing his hands were covered in an oily fluid...
The driver attempted to slow. Fluid shot out from under the vehicle. He drew his foot up, and slammed down on the brakes, resulting in another burst of fluid but no change in speed. The driver leaned back, "AHHH!" SMASSSSH! The vehicle crashed into a rather strong looking brick building, impaling itself in the wall and sending up a plume of dust. Kazo laughed.
Inertia is a fun concept, I know!
Luckily, due to being slid over, the backpack and crossbow were spared being crushed. Kazo walked over to a nearby building, and used a gardening hose to clean his hands. Kazo noticed his shoulder joints were a bit strained, and a couple of the projections on his back were slightly bent. Kazo quickly repaired this minor damage, and continued, Yeln following close behind. Yeln walked between Kazos legs, rubbing against both as Kazo walked, "Mew?" Kazo snickered.
Kazo heard an apelike yell from above. Kazo then looked up, and spotted a very large person, likely a human, standing on the rooftop. This was indeed a very large human. The human looked at the wrecked vehicle and damaged building. A moment later, the human looked right down at Kazo. Kazo kept walking along, making his way down the street as the human stayed on the roof. Kazo smiled. If the human was intent on hostilities, it would be one more detail of this interesting challenge.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lately I've been having a bit more trouble thinking up ends to the updates that work. Sorry if this one wasn't quite as good.
(I just don't mention it)
It is not as good as AKQ anymore, but the fighting is one area that has actually improved.
Definitely glad to be reminded that I have more than one reader :p
The combat is better? Perhaps it's more varied thanks to Kazo's various abilities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eventually, Kazo reached the corner of the second street and turned left. Yeln was walking back and forth, always near Kazo, sniffing the ground. Kazo heard a voice from above, "YOU!!" Yeln commented, "Mew?" The voice continued, "You trashed my patio!" Kazo hadn't even seen anyones patio. The voice continued, "You STOLE MY CAR!" Car...? Kazo thought about it, and for a moment wish he had. It would be a cheaper way back, after all. The voice continued, "AND NOW YOU WRECK MY HOUSE?!"
WHAM! Something very large landed atop a nearby vehicle. Kazo knew who it was... the human from the rooftop. The human hopped down from the vehicle. "Errh!" The human stood crouched, knuckles on the ground, covered in hair. The human drew in another breath. "ERRH!" The humans enormous, muscular body, covered with hair, tensed. The humans golden necklace had a golden amulet the shape of a G, studded with diamond, shining under the street lights. The human drew in another breath. "ERRRRRRH!" The humans round, apelike face snarled and scowled at Kazo, one eye half shut, the other wide open. The human yelled in an apelike manner, raised his fists, and pounded them on the ground. Kazo remembered, this was Daemon, AKA 'G', the crime lord controlling the ports. Kazo snickered.
That human looks like a... So THAT'S what 'G' stands for!
Yeln hissed and retreated from the apish human. Kazo drew his spear as Daemon ran toward him. Kazo thrusted at him, but he grabbed the spear. Kazo added his own energies to that of the spear, shocking Daemon. Daemon grunted, but managed to lift Kazo right up from the ground by the spear. Daemon then yelled, shaking a bit, torquing his body back, throwing Kazo from the spear. Kazo felt his gear coming loose, and as he hit ground, the backpack and the crossbow came loose, large bolts scattered from the backpack. Daemon threw the spear to the side, and ran toward Kazo, more furious than ever.
Kazo ran toward Daemon, leapt up, and came down with his mouth wide open. Kazo bit into Daemon's arm, but found himself torn away, leaving deep wounds in Daemon's arm. Daemon was surprised to find himself holding his foe by the tail. Kazo tried to snatch on with his claws but was yet again torn away by the tail. Kazo tried to pull free, but was whipped into the air, and smashed into the ground.Daemon pulled Kazo back by the tail. Kazo tried to et up, but Daemon stomped him down. Kazo bit into Daemon's leg, but he was torn away again, swung in the air, then thrown, slamming into a wall, then falling to the ground.
For a moment Kazo felt rather disoriented and dizzy, but this feeling soon went away. Kazo stood, shaking off as Daemon ran at him again. Daemon threw a punch, landing upon the wall as Kazo jumped away. Daemon threw another punch, then an uppercut, the uppercut barely grazing Kazos nose. Kazo grabbed hold of Daemons arm, and pulled him down, kicking him in the chin. Kazo then tailwhipped him in the head, backing off afterwards. Daemon seemed stunned for a moment, but then grunted furiously, picking up the electrified spear and, despite it shocking him, threw it right at Kazo. Kazo cought it clean out of the air, and stood ready with it, building up an orb of charge at the front, snickering.
Daemon coughed, grunted, and shook his hands from the pain of the jolt. Kazo built up more and more energy in the orb, easily enough to be quite damaging. Daemon picked up a large piece of wood, and as Kazo swung the spear to catapult the orb, Daemon threw the piece of wood. PZZP! The orb struck the wood, burning a portion of it. The piece of wood continued, Kazo jumping out of the way. It smacked into the wall behind.
Kazo gathered his mana to form a compressed, explosive orb in one hand, holding the spear with the other. As Kazo threw the orb, Daemon picked up a trash barrel as a shield. The orb struck the barrel with a loud BANG! The top of the barrel was blown open, flaming trash sent flying. Daemon raised the barrel over his head, and hurled it at Kazo. Kazo stepped to the side and tailwhipped the barrel, knocking it out of the way. Kazo dropped the spear, and smiled, forming an orb in one hand, heating the air within to the point of glowing, and forming an orb in the other, cooling it until the particles within seemed motionless.
Kazo threw the cold orb, Daemon jumping out of the way. Kazo noticed Daemon didn't seem to notice anything odd about a blue adamantine dinosaur throwing balls of glowing energy at him. Perhaps it was a side effect of whatever this human took in order to become so big and muscular? Perhaps it was something on the side? The cold orb continued back, striking the window of a passing vehicle. The window cracked and, a short moment later, shattered, frost forming around the edge of the window, the driver within scared nearly to crashing about this. Daemon ran up to the grass in front of the house, picking up a rather large stone.
Kazo ran at him, and as he approached, he threw the fiery orb at Daemon. Despite having closed distance, Daemons strength allowed him to move the rock quite quickly, shielding against the fiery blast. A streak of flame shot across the stone, a cloud of superheated gas dissipating into the air, streaming upwards. Daemon lifted the rock above him, arching backwards and yelling. Kazo stepped back, readying himself as if he were going to catch something. Daemon threw the rock at Kazo.
Kazo projected his mana outward, covering the rock with an envelope of solidified mana. Kazo slowed the rock in midair, the rock glowing blue a bit. Kazo built up mana between himself and the rock as Daemon approached, and as Daemon neared, Kazo converted all of the mana to physical force, catapulting the rock at Daemon, and knocking Kazo back a few steps. The rock struck Daemon in the gut, knocking him onto his back. Daemon grunted, and got up slowly, coughing. Daemon shuddered slightly, then yelled, running at Kazo again. Kazo built up mana in his hand, as much as he could channel in the limited time given.
Daemon charged in, but at the last moment before Daemon threw a punch, Kazo charged at all, ramming his palm into Daemon's chest, converting his built up mana to a pulse of force, sending a shockwave through Daemons chest. There was a slight popping sound, followed by a liquid-sounding gurgle. Kazo backed away, smiling. Daemon grabbed at his chest, and made a gasp that was cut short. Daemon then coughed up a large amount of blood, the blood trailing down his shirt. Daemon shook for a moment, fell to his knees, then fell flat onto the floor.
Kazo wiped his hands off, picked up his spear, shut it off, put it away, then took up the crossbow and backpack again, cleaning up the mess of bolts. Yeln ran up to Kazo, the both of them continuing toward the warehouse. Yeln looked right up at Kazo. Kazo picked Yeln up. Yeln licked the blood from Kazos fingers. Kazo snickered, his nose touching against Yeln's head. As they approached the warehouse, sirens could be heard in the distance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I get the feeling I made Daemon a bit too tough, or at least gave that impression.
Kazo opened the door, and walked in. The room within was filled with smoke from cigarettes and other commodities. At a table were several rather menacing looking humans drinking and discussing. On the other side of the room, a human was bench-pressing while a kobold was curling weights, the kobold smoking a cigarette. There was a makeshift bar at the back of the room, likely complete with contraband beverages, the bartender wiping down the bar, and far to the left, a kobold laying back in a chair with his legs on the table, smoking, and reading the paper. There were more spots open, and other makeshift rooms were built into the warehouse.
As soon as Kazo entered, they all looked at him. Kazo and Yeln walked in. One of the kobolds commented, "What the..." The sirens grew quite loud... it was evident they were directly approaching now. Another kobold commented, "Uh..." A human spoke, "Errrh SH*T!" Kazo felt the impulse to search all the rooms, but it seemed there was now am ore pressing issue. Everyone inside began scrambling out to the back door, weights hitting the floor and drinks spilled over the table, cigarettes dropped to the floor. Certain items and beverages, unmarked ones, were hauled away. Kazo stood there and watched them scramble out the back door. The kobold who had been reading the paper seemed last to leave... until their scrambling knocked a post down onto the door, slamming it shut in front of the kobold, and bracing the door shut. The kobold tried to open it with no success. He kicked the door, "Stupid F*CKS!"
The kobold ran toward a hallway between the makeshift rooms. Kazo followed. The kobold disappeared around a corner, and as Kazo passed the corner, he stopped, a short moment later feeling himself snagged and pulled into a small room, the door slamming shut, shrouding him in darkness. A short moment after that, there was a loud BAM! The door at the front of the warehouse had been kicked in, sirens still blaring outside. Kazo found himself standing against the wall of a small room indeed, nose to nose with the kobold.
Yeln?
Kazo looked around. "Mewww!" Kazo heard scratching at the door. As silently as he could, Kazo opened the door for a moment, letting Yeln in, then immediately shut it again. The kobold spoke under his breath, "Leave it shut, idiot! Who the hell are you?" Kazo spoke, in a similarly quieted voice, "I'm Kazo! Are you Tacaru Wanderbroken?" The kobold replied, "'swhat it says on my birth certificate. What do you want?" Kazo responded, "Your help!" The sound of boots stepping on wood and the clunking and clanging various items being overturned could be heard. The sirens cut off. Muffled voices from outside spoke,
"Nothin' here!"
"Nope."
"So they took their stuff with 'em? Back... there, see if there's any over there."
"Maybe any of them over there?"
"Doubt it... just go look dammit!"
The sound of boots on concrete could be heard approaching. Tacaru seemed to adjust something on the door with a claw, although it was barely visible. Tacaru spoke softly, "Why would I help you? After they're gone, get lost." Kazo replied, "So have you found out who killed your father?" A moment passed. Tacaru spoke, finding quieting himself to be difficult, "If we weren't locked up in here, I'd beat you up for even talkin' about that!" Kazo replied, "Do you know who had it done?" Tacaru sighed, "Some rich f*ck, I think. Probably somewhere near Steelflame." Kazo spoke, "His name is Rostus!"
Yeln mewed quietly. There was a banging sound as something slammed into the door. Tacaru spoke, "The science guy? Scientists don't... wait a... I never thought about it before. He's the only one I've heard of who fits all the dirt I dug up!" Kazo continued, "He sent me to kill you, but I won't. He wants me dead too! I'd like you to help me stop him!" The door handle could be heard jiggling. Someone was trying to open the door, and it wasn't working.
"Locked! I'm all outta ALs... Hey, you got any?"
"Don't waste our ALs, and don't waste our time. They ain't stupid enough to hide in there!"
"Ok."
A shaking sigh, full of fury, could be barely heard from Tacaru's mouth, "He's dead. If I ever find out you lied, you're dead. Got it?" Kazo took off the crossbow and gave it to Tacaru, "Yes. This might help you! I brought bolts too!" Tacaru spoke, "This... is a big crossbow!" Kazo replied, "There's a word in the middle but that's not important." The voices outside could be heard again, the sound of boots on concrete heard moving away,
"Nothin' at all."
"Dammit! They're headed south I bet. Call it in and set up a perimeter. Let's get out of here."
"Ok!"
They could be heard leaving. After they had left, the sound of a few vehicles pulling away, Tacaru unlocked the door, and they emerged into the hall again. They walked back to the main room, which was now left quite a mess. Kazo spoke, "Let's visit Rostus!" Tacaru looked at the mess for a moment, then replied, an expression of suppressed fury on his face, "Let's..."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, I know there wasn't much here for this update, but it should pick back up with next one. I get the feeling that something in general about this update might've been a bad idea.
I'm starting to consider having this thread moved to the stories section. Not sure though.
[ March 22, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
(This is becoming a predictable cycle... erm, HAS become... :P)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tacaru took up a backpack. Seeing this, Kazo set down his backpack, and began handing Tacaru bolts, Tacaru placing them in his backpack. As they transfered the bolts, Kazo spoke, "So where can we board an aircraft?" Tacaru replied, finishing up, "The purples had a strip made pretty close to here. They didn't wanna have to drive far to get their sh*t from a barge to an airship." Kazo replied, "I see! Let's go then!" Yeln hopped into the now much more empty backpack.
Kazo wore the backpack, and they both exited the building, looking around before doing so fully. Kazo followed Tacaru back up the street, although not turning at the intersection. As they passed, Kazo noticed that Daemon's body had been moved. Only a blood stain remained. Yeln rested in the now much emptier backpack, kneading the bottom of it and purring. Eventually, they approached a group of police, their vehicles waiting at the side of the road, ready to chase down anything suspicious.
Tacaru commented, "I'm smarter than the average red.." Tacaru then covered his red colors with purple colors. They passed right by the police. The police saw them, and let them go by. After they were out of range of police attention, Tacaru removed the purple and tucked it back in his pocket.
If the police were their own organized crime force, would things be better or worse?
They continued down to a fenced off lot, a long lot containing a few windowless hangars and a dirt strip, a gate in the fence with a booth right by it. The booth was empty, and the gate was open. Two aircraft were present, one with 3 pairs of wings, double engine and medium sized, the other with two pairs, single engine and small.
The large one had its engine and belly open, and seemed to be undergoing repairs although nobody was there to carry them out. The small one, orange colored, had its female kobold pilot speaking with a human customer. It seemed Kazo had arrived too late, but maybe he could make a deal now anyway? He could arrange for her to return.
Kazo approached, but stood short, watching. The human had his luggage sitting on the ground. She sniffed the luggage all around, opened it, sniffed inside the bag, then pulled out a small bag containing a rather suspicious looking powder, "I knew I smelled somethin'! Forget it! All my runs are clean, I'm not running your sh*t. Go find someone else to take this trash over there." She tossed the bag at the human, the human catching it. The human replied, "But... uh, it's just sugar! Promise!" She replied, "My nose doesn't lie. Get lost!" The human packed up, sighed, looked around, then left. Kazo snickered.
The fact that these canids can talk makes the whole operation much more effective!
Kazo approached the pilot, "Hello! Do you have room for us? We'd like to be taken to Steelflame." She replied, "There's enough room. 130 moneys for the both of you." Tacaru spoke, "Are you kidding?" As Kazo set down his backpack, reaching around Yeln to fetch the money, the pilot spoke, "Hey, these things aren't cheap to run ya know!"
Kazo fished out the rather generous sum, finding he was now actually running low on funds, and gave it to the pilot. The pilot smiled, "Ok, that's a deal! Hop in." She climbed up the side of the aircraft, hopping into the cockpit, dropping the money down into a compartment under the seat. Kazo put his backpack on, walked up to the aircraft, leapt up, and caught the edge of the passengers seat, crawling in and sitting to one side. Tacaru climbed up, climbed in, and sat on the other. Tacaru sighed, speaking softly, "This is sh*t. It's my first time on one of these and I can't get any joy out of it." The engine started, and sputtered up to idle. The engine sped up a moment later, the aircraft taxiing forward toward the strip.
After a few moments, the aircraft slowed, turned, then the engine roared up to full. The aircraft buzzed down the strip, and as the air caught the wings and pushed them upward, the aircraft lifted off. Kazo smiled, feeling the wind against his face, the city sparsely lit below. Yeln also poked his head out, "Mewww?"
The aircraft ascended. Yeln hopped down into Kazo's lap. Kazo petted Yeln, and began playing with him, smiling as Yeln rolled about, catching and nibbling Kazo's fingertips, licking them afterwards. Eventually, Yeln yawned, stretched, and curled up. Kazo then peered toward the ground, smiling, observing anything he could. Tacaru stared off into space, as if gazing back into the past.
Eventually, Tacaru spoke, difficult to hear over the wind noise, "Hey, when we get there, I... I'm gunna get some more help from a friend of mine. You go ahead." Kazo replied, "So why couldn't I wait for you? How will he help?" Tacaru responded, "He'll give me some nice stuff, it makes you forget all about danger! I want you to go ahead so I can cover our tail." Kazo replied, snickering, "I see. So, pilot, why 130 moneys?" The pilot replied, "I recoup my costs by seat usage. Kobolds only take half a seat. A kobold is 90, every extra after that is 40 more. Humans are 130, every extra after that is 60 more. If it's a mix then the human always counts as the first one."
The aircraft continued at high speed, but time still passed as they moved. Eventually, Kazo saw the barely noticeable lights of Steelflame, most of the town being underground. The aircraft began to descend and slow. Yeln woke, and as the aircraft circled downward, Kazo let Yeln eat. The engine idled, and the aircraft touched down with a slight screech, an even slighter screech as the tail end touched down. Yeln commented, "Meewew!" Kazo snickered, scritching Yeln on the top of the nose. The aircraft slowed down, turned, and taxied toward a hangar, stopping. Likely it was early morning now.
When the aircraft stopped, the engine shutting down, Yeln hopped into Kazos backpack. Kazo smiled, and climbed down, Tacaru climbing down after. Kazo spoke, "Thanks! Good luck!" The pilot replied, "Take care!" Kazo and Tacaru walked across the tarmac. Tacaru spoke, "I'll see you there." Kazo replied, "Sure!" Tacaru then parted, walking toward the entrance to Steelflame. Kazo thought about what Tacaru had said. Something to make Tacaru forget danger? What was Tacaru planning that would make him need that? Whatever it was, it could be something neither he nor Rostus had anticipated. Kazo waved his tail, eager to see what Tacaru would do. Where would his actions lead?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know it's another dull update. I got pushed pretty late and I want to write the next part while fully awake.
On the bright side, the spell checker underlines a lot less than it used to.
[ March 24, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
is there even any meaning in me posting this any more?
could someone else than me post sometime? does this thing only have one loyal reader? (if you are reading this; POST! post if only an nonsensical post consisting of "BQ!"!)
Also, I think it's been made evident that others do read, they just don't post regularly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo left Steelflame, headed toward the mountains, barely visible in the darkness. Kazo minimized the bounce from his footsteps, making his way across the badlands and over the mountains as fast as he could with Yeln in his backpack. Kazo stopped at the top of the mountain and at the river in order to allow Yeln to drink and snack. As Kazo approached the town, he ran the situation through again in his mind. This was the perfect chance to take Rostus by surprise. Teleporting directly to Rostus would be a bad idea, as Rostus, with his magics, would sense Kazo's arrival, but teleporting through the hatch in order to avoid the noise of opening it would be stealthy enough.
Kazo quieted his footsteps as he entered town. Rostus, unaware of Kazo, would be easy pickings, unable to trigger the device before his demise. Kazo smiled. He decided he would leave Rostus with a smidgen of life left, that way he could see what Tacaru wanted to do to Rostus. Kazo approached the hatch. He set down his backpack, Yeln commenting, "Mew!" Kazo spoke, "Don't worry!" Yeln expressed concern. Kazo continued, "This should only take a moment!"
Kazo crouched low above the hatch, and swiftly projected his soul downward and forward, his material self and possessions disappearing from the material plane as they were dragged aloft behind. Kazo navigated downward swiftly, and allowed his material self to drop back down to the material plane, appearing at the bottom of the stairwell. During this, Kazo sensed a presence... he felt as if he were being watched.
Kazo quietly and stealthily moved down the dark corridor, peeking around the corner. The living area was dark, nobody present, although there was light coming from the laboratory. Kazo snuck along the wall, and having not made any sound at all, slowly peeked through the door. Rostus was inside, looking directly at Kazo as if the walls were transparent to him, one hand in a pocket. Kazo realized, some force had informed Rostus about the whole plan ahead of time. The surprise was ruined. Noticing Rostus' hand in his pocket, Kazo felt, the entire thing had been turned into a trap. Rostus would act no matter which way Kazo went, hence there was no escape. There was only one chance left.
Kazo leapt through the door, and began gathering an explosive orb in each hand, readying to throw before the orbs were even complete, but a movement of Rostus' hand made it all seem futile. It felt like an explosion in Kazo's chest, followed by his entire body engulfed in a burning sensation, his vision flashing to white. Kazo felt himself attempt to yell out but was unsure if anything came out or not. A short moment, and Kazo had lost consciousness.
Kazo collapsed, and fell limp, the glow of his eyes vanishing. Rostus calmly walked over to Kazo, pulling the rectangular control out of his pocket, the antenna visible. There was a control dial on it, and it was not set to maximum. Kazo wasn't quite dead... but Rostus considered it close enough for his own purposes. Rostus spoke, picking up Kazo, "Death won't be a retreat for you. I shall hold your soul captive until I am satisfied your betrayal has been repaid..." Rostus placed Kazo down atop a machine, opening Kazo's chest plate, "Beforehand, I have some business to take care of around town..." Rostus clamped the rods all the way in in Kazo's power supply, preventing it from working, and walked away.
Yeln scratched frantically at the shut hatch cover, "MEEEW! MEEEEW!" The hatch opened, and Rostus stepped out. Yeln scrambled backwards, "HSSSSSSSSSS!" Rostus looked at Yeln for a moment, then shut the hatch, continuing on. Rostus walked around until he found the lead guard, a female human clad in steel and carrying a heavy crossbow. Rostus approached, "Hello, guardian of this town!" The guard replied, "If it isn't Rostus! Pleased to meet you!" Rostus smiled, "Thank you." His smile faded, "I have come to inform you of an imminent threat to this town, known by the name of Tacaru. He is a red from Shadedports, heavily armed and very dangerous. As you know my actions have been a long term problem for the criminal scum there. This red is here on a mission, namely to assassinate me. He will also likely attempt to damage the whole town as much as possible. I recommend care in dealing with him."
The guard replied, "I can tell by the look on your face this isn't the first time." Rostus replied, "Unfortunately... Aside from that, I also do feel much more secure thanks to this brave and honorable force. For this, I thank you. For now, I'll remain in my bunker. I would rather not be cought out here should things become unpleasant..." The guard spoke, "I understand. I know there's a few people around here who lost family to the reds too. I'm one of them." For a brief moment, Rostus expressed a knowledgeable smile. The guard continued, "I'll see to it everyone who can defends this town."
Kazo and Rostus were no longer watched, but it was only a matter of time before new forces arrived. Time did pass, and the night drew to a close, the guards placing themselves and their equipment into position. Rostus, on the other hand, rather than tending to Kazo, tended to the contents of the garage... perhaps in preparation for tending to Kazo. It had begun raining. Minutes before dawn, Tacaru approached the town, the weight of the drawn Big F*cking Crossbow giving his walk an odd form. Tacaru had ratcheted it fully back, loading a 'standard' heavy bolt into it.
Tacaru stepped up a hill, drinking from a canteen. He finished, and put the canteen away as he approached the top. As he reached the very top of the hill, he saw below a searchlight mounted on a vehicle, sweeping its beam across the top of the hill, and it was about to reveal him, several heavily armed guards standing by below. Just before the beam swept over him, there was a popping sound. The beam vanished, the glow of the light turning a much dimmer orangish, then fading. There was escalating chatter by the searchlight, and it seemed the guards were now distracted with trying to repair it. Tacaru took advantage of this to make his way toward the side of the town through the deep darkness around. He sighed, holding the large crossbow pointed ahead as he moved in. Tacaru cared little for these people. His goal was simple, the gruesome death of Rostus. Meanwhile, Yeln stood near the hatch, looking down at the impermeable barrier, waiting and hoping for a way to get through.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was originally planning to go through more, rather than just leaving these parts as their own update, but a combination of being delayed and having school tomorrow meant I lacked the time.
Beyond Quality.
Kazo replied, Yeln hopping into the now much more empty backpack, "I see! Let's go then!"
Seems a bit awkward, because there is so much space between "Kazo replied" and his actual reply.
Kazo approached, but stood short, watching. He had his luggage sitting on the ground.
Could be stopped short, but what you wrote may be good. Also, it sounds like you're talking about Kazo's luggage in the next sentence, though from the context, it appears to belong to the random human person.
Kazo put his backpack on, walked up to the aircraft, leapt up, and cought the edge of the passengers seat
cought -> caught
The aircraft ascended. Yeln hopped down into Kazo's lap. Kazo pet Yeln...
pet -> petted
catching and nibbling Kazos
Kazos -> Kazo's
Kazo then peered toward the ground, smiling observing anything he could.
Probably needs a comma after smiling.
Kazo thought, something to make...
A colon might fit in better than the comma.
Whatever it was, it could be something neither he or Rostus had anticipated.
or -> nor
[/nitpick] Lol
Beyond Quality, grammar or spelling stuff is irrelevant to this item's quality level, as they are only decorations (lol, DF referencing).
BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ-BQ
Hmm, too much like BBQ.
Beyond Quality! Beyond Quality! Beyond Quality! ad infinitum
[/ramble]
Much appreciated, I fixed the post.
I expect this will be quite short due to time constraints. I really need to free up more time. (nevermind, ignore)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tacaru heard boots trampling upon dirt and wood. The guards were looking for him. They had been informed. It was obvious he was facing quite a bit of resistance. Most of his life he had been merely a transient thug, and he felt it a deep disgrace. It had been so long... if Rostus truly was the one who killed his father, after this, he thought, there would finally be closure. He could move on, and leave the nightmare behind.
Tacaru snuck into town, reaching a building, and leaning upon its back wall. Tacaru then snuck along the back side, toward a corner. Upon reaching the corner, he looked up at the adjacent building, and saw a sharpshooter on the roof, crossbow aimed directly for his head. Tacaru instinctively jumped back. The sharpshooter fired, and through an odd chance, the bolt slid crooked down the bow, jamming it half way! The sharpshooter grunted in annoyance and crouched down, "Piece of..." The sharpshooter then tried to clear the jam, resulting in the half-jammed bow releasing the rest of its energy through the mechanism, causing the sharpshooter's hand to get caught in it. The sharpshooter grunted again, louder and this time of pain, "F**K!"
Tacaru crouched down low, finger pressed firmly upon the trigger, and slowly emerged from behind the corner. A guard rounded the adjacent corner, and just as the guard spotted him and began aiming, Tacaru fired. The crossbow jerked back with high force, slamming against Tacaru's shoulder and rotating upwards somewhat. The cone of shrapnel flew at immense speed, striking the guard in the gut. Her abdomen shot out a cloud of blood, shredded down to gore, her guts spilling out. She gagged, failed to gasp, then collapsed. Tacaru's shoulder immediately began to feel sore. Tacaru jerked back behind cover, a bolt whizzing through, grazing the corner of the building with a SPAT! Tacaru looked past the corner, and saw nobody. He snuck his way across to the adjacent building, and looked again. Nobody seemed to be there.
Tacaru ratcheted back the immense crossbow. It took quite a bit of strength, and quite a bit of time, but he eventually managed to, loading in another 'standard' heavy bolt. When he was done, Tacaru noticed a small piece of terrain seemed to have moved. Tacaru snuck along the other wall, then crouched low, moving through the darkness toward this piece of 'terrain'. He saw a bolt whiz out from that area, and attempted to jump away. His efforts weren't sufficient, but he had also pulled the enormous crossbow in, almost as if it were a shield. The bolt struck the crossbow, glancing away, leaving nothing but a slight dent! That wasn't his first intention, but it seemed luck had been on his side.
He ran towards the hidden sharpshooter, and fired, the recoil pushing him back. THWAP! For the most part, he missed, but part of the cone still grazed the sharpshooter's head and back. A bit of blood shot up. The sharpshooter gasped, fluid running down his face. A moment later, the sharpshooter let out a deep sigh, the flesh on his forehead quite mangled.
Tacaru ran down the path toward the inner part of the town, ratcheting back the enormous crossbow on the way there, loading another 'standard' bolt. As he approached, he saw several figures march through the dirt paths. The winds picked up, and thunder cracked down. He snuck up to a building, searched in his pocket, and pulled out a small round container, opening it. Now was a suitable time... He ate the pills, and discarded the container. He need not be stopped by any of them...
Tacaru snuck around the corner, to the opposite wall, then heard footsteps approaching. He spotted sharpshooters on the opposite building, one on the roof, one on a balcony, but he was already too far ahead to go back. Tacaru ran forward. As he did so, the sharpshooter on the roof crouched down to fire, but as she attempted to lay prone, she slipped on the wet roof tile, sliding off onto the balcony, landing on the other sharpshooter, a bolt being loosed, flying into the stormy skies. Tacaru kept running, turning and sliding as he crossed the corner. He snarled and fired at the crossbowman approaching, caring not of the crossbowman's weapon. The recoil of the crossbow caused Tacaru to slide back, the crossbow angled nearly vertical. THWAPP! The shrapnel hit the crossbowman right in the face. Blood shot out from the eyes, and gory bits of flesh were cast up into the air. It seemed half of the crossbowman's face was shot clean off. The crossbowman stumbled, and collapsed, brain fluid leaking from the eye socket.
Tacaru crouched by the wall of the building, sneaking around the buildings, making his way toward the center as he ratcheted back again, careful to avoid any patrolling guards. As Tacaru was loading the bolt in, he noticed that the bolt was larger, designed NOT to fragment at the end, and colored red. Tacaru passed an intersection. "ZERRRRH!" Tacaru turned to see in the distance a human wielding one light dual-crossbow in each hand, an expression of hatred for all reds painted upon his face. For a moment, the air seemed to become electrified, static charge running up from the ground.
A streamer of broken down air shot down from the cloud, aimed directly toward Tacaru's head. The streamer suddenly stopped, forming a node, and continued its arc in a different direction, right toward the human's head! The streamer then stopped again, arcing toward Tacaru once more. As it neared the ground, the arc seemed to zigzag back and forth, in the end, landing between the human and Tacaru. Charge from the ground shot up through the streamers tail to meet the cloud. BANGGGGG!
The blinding flash and deafening roar left Tacaru with saturated vision and ringing ears... for a moment it seemed like music and rather pretty colors. Indeed, he felt a bit light headed. As if it were an impulse, he suddenly chuckled. When his vision returned, he saw the human, still holding the two dual-crossbows, shaking off the effects of the bolt. The hatch and garage lay close behind. Tacaru felt no need for worry. He ran right at the human. The human fired twice from each bow. One bolt struck the ground by Tacaru's feet. Another whizzed by his head. A third struck him in the upper left leg. A fourth striking him in the gut, becoming firmly lodged in the wound. Tacaru felt very little of it, stumbled, and continued on.
Tacaru fired, almost loosing hold of the crossbow this time. The large, red bolt flew through the air, striking the human in the chest. BOOM! The humans chest was blown clean open, an arm and the head parting from the rest of the body, flying through the air. The head splatted down to the ground, the dead face still showing an expression of hatred. The dismembered arm then landed in front of the head, the hand making an obscene gesture toward Tacaru. The whole area around was spattered with blood.
Tacaru ran toward the hatch, ignoring his wounds, ratcheting back the crossbow again, loading a standard bolt. He reached the hatch, and opened it quickly. "MEEWWW!" Yeln immediately zipped through the opening, disappearing down the stairwell. There was a clicking sound. Tacaru turned to see yet another sharpshooter on a roof, only this time he was the one unprepared. A gust of wind forced the sharpshooters aim away as she fired, Tacaru jumping back, but immediately after, another, powerful gust, carrying the scent of blood unlike the previous, blew through the town. The air currents carried the bolt in a curve, the bolt striking Tacaru in the chest, piercing his heart and becoming firmly lodged in the wound. Tacaru felt his body seize up... but felt no pain. He shook, but was unsure why.
He heard a creaking. Tacaru turned and aimed, his strength fading. Rostus exited the garage, and looked up, to see the blood covered, red-marked kobold, several bolts sticking out, aiming a disproportionately large crossbow right at him. Tacaru aimed, bleeding all over, a grin on his face, a sort of happiness present. Tacaru felt oddly calm, almost like laughing although his body wouldn't permit. Rostus stumbled back through the doorway, attempting to close the door, but before he could do so, Tacaru fired, letting the crossbow leave his grasp. Rostus jumped away as Tacaru fired, but some of the shrapnel still flew through into his gut. Rostus yelled out loudly, and collapsed to the floor.
Tacaru felt his strength leaving him rapidly. He collapsed to his knees. He smiled, and seemed to giggle, spitting up blood afterwards. Tacaru then fell to the ground. He felt happy. He finally had closure. He was moving on from this nightmarish, shameful life, and soon, he might even be able to talk about this, and so much else, with his father. A smile still on his face, Tacaru let out a sigh, then lay motionless.
Rostus lay on his back, grunting and swearing, blood flowing out from his mangled abdomen. He picked out the pieces of shrapnel bit by bit, grunting with each one. He found himself weakening quite a bit, and knew if he didn't hurry, blood loss would claim his life. After picking out the worst, he used what mana he was provided with to begin healing himself. Indeed, the use of magic changes how 'mortal wound' is defined.
Yeln darted into the laboratory, and leapt up to Kazo, rubbing and purring, but then noticing Kazo's state. Yeln looked around, and saw a clamp in Kazo's chest that obviously wasn't supposed to be there. Yeln felt an impulse to pull the clamp away. He tried, but it wouldn't budge. He bit down on the handle and tried pulling it loose, or maybe unscrewing it, but it was screwed on too tight. Yeln looked around, and spotted a ledge above with some equipment on it. Yeln hopped up onto the ledge, moved around, and in frustration, knocked off a candle from the ledge. The candle fell, and struck the clamps handle. With a squeak, the handle turned a bit.
Yeln hopped down, and pulled the candle out of the way, spitting it onto the floor. He then batted at the handle of the clamp. The handle spun around, the clamp loosening. Soon after, Yeln pulled the foreign, intrusive clamp away, and tossed it off the machine. Yeln then proceeded to nuzzle Kazo's face, tucking himself next to Kazo and purring in order to comfort himself. The rods on Kazo's power core extended slightly, then a bit more. Dawn was breaking.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This ended up being a rather long one. I got a second run of awakenness, and used it to continue writing into the night. I felt this should all be one update.
That is one smart cat, like all cats are!
Kazo attempted to sit up, but as he felt excess mana begin to flow back into his soul, he suddenly, fell back, a yellow flash occupying his vision, a sharp pain coming from his chest as he felt his soul jump a bit. Kazo lay back, lessening his power flow. The mana in his soul had been purged out. It seemed his heart was quite damaged, but it was still working, if only marginally.
Kazo monitored his body, seeing just how much mana he could hold before it became too much for his weakened state. When he had found a proper equilibrium, he reached past his open chest plate, and placed his hands against his own heart. There was a crack running down the crystal, and the mana signature, once sharp and clear, had become a bit fuzzy. Though a regenerative aura could repair practically any damage, it might not be accurate enough for this. At least it would set things in their proper place first. Kazo applied a regenerative field, taking a break as the tenuous mana available ran out once. After that was done, Kazo then shut his visual input, focusing down a field almost into a plane, sliding right through the crack. He changed the properties of the field, causing it to act charged, with properties almost like a pseudo-metal. He manipulated the charge to cause the fundamental particles of the blue diamond to bond to one another again in the at crack.
It was slow, and he had to stop a few times, but it was eventually done. Kazo noticed much of the aching had gone away. His strength was returning. He shut his chest plate, and quickly passed applied a regenerative field to wherever soreness remained, finding it disappearing relatively quickly. Kazo moved his joints, finding they worked fine. He stood, and looked around again, feeling his soul begin to fill with mana as he extended the rods of his power core. Kazo spoke, "Yeln? Yeln kitty?" There was no reply.
Kazo left the room, retrieved his spear from a table, and proceeded up the stairwell. When he reached the top, he waited for his soul to fill with mana, then opened the hatch, stepping out. Clouds were above, but it had stopped raining. The sky was orange, on its way to becoming blue, the sun present over the horizon. "MEEEWWW!" Kazo looked over, seeing Yeln tied to a post on top of a building. Just as Kazo was about to move, he heard a rumbling grow, coming from the direction of the garage. "Don't move! Not one inch!"
Kazo remembered, Rostus had mentioned a vehicle, left over from when he was wealthy. The vehicle emerged, looking like a steel-clad armored vehicle, coils on its sides with silver spheres protruding out, a particle cannon mounted on the top, a radiation-hazard sign painted on it. Rostus could be seen through the open door, controller held in one hand. Rostus smiled, "So glad you could join us here? I didn't know why I built this at the time, but now I do. Inconvenient obstacles such as yourself will not stop me from deploying the atomic bombs. It's based off of an old dwarven design, you might say... although I doubt they had ever seen such a future with it." Kazo remembered a bit about the dwarven machine, and also remembered Blitukus' armored vehicle... the dwarven machine was a lot larger than the armored vehicle, but Rostus' vehicle seemed a bit smaller, although it was steel clad and equipped with much higher technology to power it.
Rostus continued, "There is a glorious war ahead, my troublesome foe, and I felt it fitting to make your kitten the first casualty. Now, witness the power of my machine... then you may die yourself." Kazo spoke, "Nobody threatens kitty..." Kazo popped open his chest plate, then grasped the foreign device. He felt no consideration for the switch, and as such, he began to wrench it out. Rostus spoke, "No yo-", then immediately pressed the button on the controller. Kazo felt sharp himself engulfed in pain, yelling out, his vision flashing to white, all sense of his body disappearing. A moment later, the white slowly faded...
But as it faded, it revealed an image not of his dead body, but of muddied dirt. Kazo slowly felt the sense of his body return to him... he was in a bit of pain, yet somehow, he was still conscious. As his senses returned to him, he stumbled, and found himself holding onto the device. the wiring had been torn clean off, a few small components laying on the ground. Kazo stood for a brief moment, surprised himself that that had happened. He dropped the ruined kill device. Rostus seemed immensely surprised, "Holy... wha... oh no!" Rostus slammed the door shut.
Kazo held his spear with one hand, applying regeneration to his heart again with the other, walking toward Rostus' vehicle. His heart had surprisingly little damage. He shut his chest plate, and accelerated, tilting his head and smiling as he walked ever faster toward Rostus. Rostus backed up and turned his vehicle, the engines spinning up. Energy gathered within the vehicle, the whole vehicle humming. Rostus aimed the cannon down at Kazo. Kazo accelerated to a run.
Kazo lunged at the vehicle, thrusting the spear into the viewing port, but this glass seemed extremely thick. Only a small crack resulted. An arc of electricity jumped from a sphere to Kazo, pushing Kazo close to another sphere, the arc from which pushed Kazo off from the vehicle. Kazo stumbled down, his clothes showing flame. This gave Kazo excess energy, but before he could form an explosive orb, he saw the cannon train down on him. Kazo swung back. There was a brilliant flash the very same instant Kazo shielded. A burning ray struck Kazo. Kazo grunted at the immense drain of shielding this, the mere radiation carrying large amounts of heat, the light of the beam flooding out everything around.
His shield shattered, and he found himself engulfed in radiation, some of which pierced straight through. The piercing ray felt as if it burned him from the inside out. He 'shut' his eyes and jumped out of the way, landing on his belly. He felt his whole body was heated to an immense temperature. The mud he had fallen upon hissed and became dry and cracked. He felt something within himself crack, sharp pains all over his belly. He opened his eyes and found part of his spear glew with heat. He stood, finding himself shaking slightly... his coat and backpack seemed to have disintegrated into flaming scraps. Rostus yelled, "Your struggle is FUTILE!"
Kazo ran to the side, finding himself feeling a bit weak again. Not only were likely several crystals cracked in his gut, he felt himself sapped by the radiation. He still smiled, forming an explosive orb in one hand, the vehicle trying to face him, charging again. Kazo threw the orb at the front of the vehicle. BANG! The glass was cracked further, the vehicle rocking a bit, but otherwise little effect. Kazo formed another orb, stopping. The vehicle faced him, the cannon pointed right at him. Kazo pitched the orb like a baseball, directly at the crystal glass barrel of the cannon, but it was too late. Kazo leapt upwards just as the cannon fired, the beam striking the orb and causing it to explode in midair. Kazo landed on the edge of a roof. Rostus scorched a line into the ground, proceeding to burn a line through the building, setting that building ablaze as well as igniting the building behind it.
Kazo leapt down from the roof just before it collapsed. He realized it wasn't in his best interest to destroy the cannon after all. It was indeed a charged particle cannon. It could be used as a large source of energy, in fact... Kazo grinned. An idea occurred to him. As the vehicle charged again, accelerating toward Kazo, Kazo ran toward the vehicle, forming another explosive orb. Kazo hurled it at the front left silver sphere, blowing the sphere clean off of the coil, the spherical section falling to the ground. Kazo darted behind the vehicle, forming another. The vehicle drove away, but Kazo still threw it, striking the rear left silver sphere, blowing the sphere apart, pieces falling onto the ground and onto the plating of the vehicle.
The vehicle turned. Kazo lunged away from the vehicle's line of sight, charging yet another, and hurling it. It arced through the air, striking the rear right silver sphere, blowing the coil out from under the sphere, the sphere falling onto the vehicle, then rolling to the ground. The vehicle turned around quickly, and as soon as Kazo was in its sights, Rostus fired. The beam struck right in front of Kazo, burning its way forward. Kazo ran away from the beam, but as it swept up, it struck him in the tail and the back for a moment. Kazo dove out of the way, the beam ceasing. Kazo could hear a bit of hissing and the occasional cracking. Kazo got up, stumbling a bit, his tail feeling a bit numb and his back hurting a bit. Kazo realized, he would be damaged much worse if he hadn't dove out of the way... in fact, if the beam ever stunned him, he would take the full blast and be boiled from the inside out.
Kazo formed another explosive orb, and ran straight at the vehicle, nearly tripping over himself a couple of times. Kazo threw the orb at the last silver sphere, the orb missing, blowing out a piece of wooden wall from a building. Kazo leapt onto the vehicle, ran into the arc coming from the silver sphere, then stabbed it with his spear. Immediately an immense current shot through the spear and Kazo. Kazo took on energy, quite a lot, and so did the spear. The capacitors of the spear, already partially melted, exploded right in front of Kazo. Kazo used this energy in magic, aiding his own strength, allowing him to quickly wrench the sphere off of the coil. Kazo leapt away and ran as Rostus fired again. Kazo skidded, turning to run to the side, then ran back towards the vehicle. Kazo turned again, ducking under the beam as he passed in front of the vehicle. Kazo jumped up. The beam ceased. Kazo landed right on the front of the vehicle, looking through the glass. Rostus leaned back in his chair, and began driving the vehicle in reverse, swerving about.
Kazo looked around the front of the vehicle, and found a panel with a lock and hinge. Normally the silver spheres would've protected this, but they were no longer functional. Kazo jammed his claw into the lock, passing large amounts of energy through it until the metal within glew with heat. He then took advantage of the metal's pliable state to swiftly force the lock open. He opened the panel, and saw beneath more steel pipes, engine plates, and through a small hole, beneath it all, a copper control linkage. There was a loud buzzing above. Kazo looked up to see the cannon pointing right down at him, glowing within. Kazo leapt up as the cannon fired, but found that due to his damaged body, his takeoff was rather awkward. This upset the entire jump. He landed a bit off as well, slipping in the mud and falling over.
The beam scorched its way toward him. Kazo got up, ran, skidded to a stop, then ran directly toward the beam and the vehicle. Kazo leapt up as he neared the beam, just barely keeping above it, his feet and tail grazing the beam... for a moment it looked as if he were walking upon the beam. Kazo jammed his spear down into the beam, falling to the side of it, and skidding to a stop. He immediately channeled his mana to create a field to channel all of the particles through the spear. The particles were charged, and his feet were a grounding point. Kazo grunted, feeling his insides warm up considerably as immense energy passed through him. His soul filled to the brim with mana then was stuffed with even more. This was a risky move on it's own...
For KITTY!
He grunted louder, feeling his soul stretched to the breaking point, his vision seeming to escape him. He yelled, the beam finally ceasing. It was if it was a blur that moment. He ran toward the vehicle, and felt oddly as light as a feather. He leapt onto the front of the vehicle. His soul nearly ready to rupture, he brought his nearly molten spear up, and yelling, jammed it down into the open panel, piercing down through the pipes and plates, forcing a hole straight down to the linkage, covering it in molten metal. He allowed this immense volume of energy to discharge directly through the spear, right into the control linkage. He yelled, but heard a yell that was even louder.
Kazo became silent, feeling the energy stop flowing. His vision returned to his normal state. He pulled the spear out, feeling rather heavy and drained. The vehicle no longer reacted. Kazo looked through the window to see Rostus slumped over the control panel, burns all over his body, a bit of smoke coming out of one of his hands. A bit of insulation on the control panel seemed to have been melted through, revealing the metal beneath.
Never threaten Yeln.
Kazo walked off of the vehicle, stumbling away from it. "Meww!" Kazo looked up. He made his way to the front of the building, evaluated the jump, jumped onto an overhang, then jumped to the roof. Kazo then untied Yeln, and sat, hugging him as the sun finished rising. Kazo smiled, pressing his face against Yeln's, 'shutting' his eyes for a moment. Yeln rested his head upon Kazo's shoulder, purring, shutting his eyes. Finally, there were no more missions or constraints. Kazo was now free again, finally free to explore this world, and on top of it, Yeln would be enjoying it with him. They kept hugging, Kazo looking towards the sun as the sun slowly made it's way above the horizon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nothing stuck out to me as wrong, but dang I hope I didn't mess anything up here.
Beyond Quality.
Also glad for it being considered epic.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo continued watching the sunrise for a few moments. He then rested his head gently upon Kazo's head, 'shutting' his eyes once more, simply enjoying the fact that through it all, they were still together. Kazo shared his mana with Yeln, and soon found a regenerative field enveloping the two of them, the field resonating with Yeln's purr. Kazo felt himself being repaired, and it seemed to take little effort. It held true; a cat's purr is indeed healing. Several moments passed with them hugging, Kazo feeling the aches and sharp pains dulling away.
Kazo heard the winds blow, remnant fires crackling in the distance. This sound was pierced by the blaring of a loud horn from the skies. Kazo resumed visual input, and looked up. A small airship, driven forward by two engines, approached. It was equipped with a few ports to fire weapons out of, but no weapons were readied. Whoever was there likely knew by the suspiciously still vehicle that the battle was already over. Kazo looked around and saw the townspeople returning from the edge of town... they were all thoroughly surprised at what they saw. Damage was seen all around, two buildings alight, one partially destroyed. The vehicle made it perfectly clear who was responsible.
Kazo smiled upon the townspeople, who began frantically discussing what they saw. None of them seemed to be negative toward Kazo, in fact many responses were quite the opposite toward him. Looking closer at the vehicle, they realized their former town VIP wasn't such a great guy after all. The airship's engines reversed as it approached, the vessel slowing and descending as it passed overhead. A red furred kobold could be seen standing at an open door. Kazo smiled and waved. The airship descended quite low. She tossed a ladder down from the side of the airship, the quite long ladder swinging down and smacking against the side of the building, being dragged onto the top.
Kazo walked up to the ladder. Yeln held on tight as Kazo climbed. As Kazo climbed, the airship began to ascend again, the kobold above, Nefarious, reeling the ladder back in. Kazo eventually made his way to the top, and accepted Nefarious' hand. She pulled him in, and smiled, Yeln hopping to the ground. Nefarious spoke, "Yer back in one piece! Gotta admit I thought the count mighta been 2 or 3. I was startin' to miss ya!" Kazo replied, "I'm glad to be back! So why did you arrive in an airship?" The airship was turning. Nefarious replied, "So why'd ya have to take all the fun? I wanted to take all his buddies out, take him away, make 'im eat his own pitchblende 'till his fur starts fallin' out, then brutally maim him 'till he's bled dry! I'm not going to maim a corpse... it just ain't the same. Corpses don't squirm and they don't scream."
Kazo snickered. Nefarious continued, "Besides the obvious, what happened?" Kazo replied, "At Shadedports I made my way through the criminals. I met Tacaru and gave him the crossbow I found. We then flew back to Steelflame and went over here. Rostus almost killed me with that device, twice! Tacaru is dead, I saw the corpse on the way out! The rest of it you can see for yourself outside."
Nefarious spoke, "Yep. Glad he's dead either way." A door to the small, single story gondola opened, another kobold stepping out, "Nefarious! Someone's on the radio, they wanna talk to you!" Nefarious spoke, "Alright, hold on a minute Kazo, I'll be right back to ya." She walked to the gondola with the other kobold. Kazo looked around for Yeln, and saw Yeln near the very edge of the door. Kazo walked over to Yeln, looking out the still open door. The airship was still quite low to the ground, passing once again over the center of town.
They looked out the door, people gathering around the vehicle below. The airship accelerated forward, moving away from the center of town. Kazo smiled, petting Yeln. Yeln nuzzled Kazo's hand, then Kazo's leg. Kazo looked on, smiling, and began to wonder, after he reached Shadedports, what next? The entire world was open to explore!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know it's a bit short without much happening, hopefully the next updates will 'unstick'. Although, hopefully this one also served as a proper downslope after the last one. (Hmm, something bugs me about the speech patterns here.)
Yea, this needed a downslope.
Hmm, this one is almost guaranteed to be short. I'll probably just be finishing the airship ride.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo sat on the edge and watched the town and farms around it pass below. The airship ascended, dirt trails and fenced off fields visible below. Kazo looked down and smiled. Eventually, the airship began to close towards the mountains, still ascending. Nefarious walked back into the main cabin. Yeln stood, raising his tail and walking toward her, "Mew?" Kazo stood as well, "Hello again!" Nefarious spoke, bending over to meet Yeln, "Hello!" Yeln licked her nose, and nuzzled her face. She pet him, and stood, "Lovable lil' critter ain't he?" Kazo snickered, "Yes he is!" Yeln commented, "Meww!"
Nefarious sat near a port, Kazo sitting opposite. Yeln hopped up next to Kazo and began scratching his claws against the wooden seat. No damage was done. Kazo spoke, "So how will your people react to me? I don't seem to have a coat anymore!" Nefarious replied, "They'll see us walkin' together, and they'll know I trust ya. People'd probably be curious, but I doubt they'd try to take ya apart without asking nicely first." Kazo snickered, "I'm used to that sort of situation!"
Kazo began thinking about what he would do next. He might get more out of his time settling down for a while and experimenting with the technology of this era. He could continue his adventures afterwards. Kazo spoke, "Who owns the land by the river?" Nefarious replied, "Nobody watches the farms most of the time, but right by the river, that's town land. It's public domain. You can do whatever ya want out there as long as ya don't go aroun' pissin' people off. Ya don't seem like the type for that anyway."
Kazo replied, "Thanks!" Kazo now had at least somewhere where he could test whatever he came up with with the minimum amount of potential collateral. Depending on how long he decided to stay, it might not even really be needed. Yeln rubbed up against Kazo's leg, and hopped up, walking in a tight circle on Kazo's lap. Kazo snickered, and pet Yeln, who nuzzled him and began purring, eventually hopping down.
Kazo and Yeln began entertaining eachother in various ways, including Yeln running around the cabin, Kazo playfully chasing after. Nefarious seemed entertained by merely watching. Eventually, Nefarious commented, "Gotta love cats, those cute lil' balls o' fluff can be fierce an' cute at the same time!" Kazo smiled, "They are quite unique in that field!" Yeln crouched down, "Mew?"
A bit later, Kazo checked out the door. The airship had passed over the mountains, and was descending, headed straight toward Steelflame. Kazo entered the cabin again, and sat, Yeln immediately resting upon his lap, curling up. Kazo spoke, "So what's happened on your end?" Nefarious replied, "People've been sayin' something's going on over in Shadedports, and there's less outlets to sell at." Kazo spoke, "Yes, I think I might've contributed to that. Daemon is dead!" Nefarious laughed, "Yeah that's the unwritten rule of joinin' the death squad there. Ya die! About the news, some guys from the central way dumped their crap on us, so we tossed all the useless junk off to the trade depot, and the scrap's sittin' by the foundry. That's pretty much it, there ain't much happenin' in only a couple days." Kazo spoke, "I see!"
It seemed he wouldn't have any shortage of materials either as long as he stuck to recycling. He might have to sell the occasional good in order to buy food for Yeln though. Then again, even though Yeln was only a kitten, there was a chance he could feed himself. The airship was approaching Steelflame. Kazo felt curious about whether Yeln could feed himself or not. He also debated what to actually make. Perhaps whatever situation occurred would suggest a project, if nothing else, although he did feel curious as to how he could make use of the river as well. Perhaps a short rest was a good idea, but he still felt eager to try new things.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hoping this went over OK. If not, I guess it isn't really a big deal. This update didn't have much in it but at least I got more of the transit scene out of the way.
Nefarious smiled at Kazo, resting her head on her hands. Kazo continued, "Demons struck and magic declined, taking my home civilization with it! I'm not exactly sure but I think I might be the last citizen." Nefarious replied, "Magic like that must've been quite the sight!" Kazo paused for a moment, remembering, "Indeed it was! You seem very ready to accept this." She chuckled, "Well considerin' my mom was an ancient demon, a regular customer turn'd out to be a death-ray totin' nut bent on mass destruction, an' I made friends with a blue talking dinosaur, I've got no problem with yer magical origin!" Kazo laughed.
Kazo looked down at his hand, looking at the edges of the scales. He remembered how before this had all happened, he had slept guarding a part of the cat device, the power source Blitukus used to escape. The next time he slept, he had thought he guarded nothing. But, remembering back to the earlier days, he began to feel that though it wasn't something he held, what he had guarded then and what he still did guard was quite important indeed. By existing, he guarded the legacy of the dragons, and the legacy of his father, Arkus. He was quite probably the last being on that world to remember these days. Indeed, it created a sense of the ultimate finality of time that though many true mortals have known, few have actually felt. What was once the future now was now an archeologist's career. Still, he felt attached to that time.
Nefarious continued, "I haven't read anything 'bout dragons that ain't at least 700 years old either. It's too bad magic decayed, It woulda gone right together with gadgetry!" Kazo smiled, "I'm a living example of that!" Kazo had always been grateful about his body. He was the result of an experiment, and it seemed he could've very well been one of the most successful experiments to ever be tried. Now, he was the holder of the legacy of the one who performed it. Perhaps now with him settling down for a while, he could continue this legacy... if only for a while at a time.
The horn blared. Nefarious spoke just as it ended, "Looks like we'll be home soon." Kazo looked through the port, watching the town ahead approach. The airship moved closer, and after a while, began to approach the airstrip. A bit later, the airship slowed to a near stop and began to descend to the ground near, but not on the strip. When the airship landed, the sudden vibration woke Yeln from his nap. Yeln stood, stretched, then looked at Kazo, "Meww?" Kazo smiled, petting Yeln, "We're here!"
Nefarious spoke, "Yep. I really aughta get back to work. An' thanks, Kazo, you probably saved me an' a bunch of others by taking that guy out." Kazo grinned, "Thanks!" She continued, "Maybe we can talk some more later? Feel free to come on by!" Kazo spoke, "Sure thing! I think I'll just go see what's by the river and foundry until then!" She smiled, "Have fun!" She spoke to the pilot of the airship, opened the door, and hopped down to the ground. Kazo and Yeln also hopped down. Kazo looked toward the river near the edge of town. It was now clearly day. The sun had moved up from the horizon, but not too much time had elapsed. Although, it seemed no amount of time was too much now. Looking at the river, Kazo thought, perhaps his next project could make use of it? Perhaps if he was going to go on another adventure after his stay, a vehicle of some kind would come in handy. He began to think about potential designs as he walked toward the entrance to the tunnel, Yeln following closely behind.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a feeling the ending parts were sort of awkward. At least it isn't critical if I did mess anything up.
Several other people were browsing as well. A few moment after Kazo's entry, they stopped to look at him, a moment after discussing among themselves, looking back over occasionally as they continued what they were doing. Kazo waved his tail about as he spotted several pieces that by themselves might be useful in something after some minor repairs. Doubtless more materials would also be sent to the junk yard. He had plenty of materials to work with, but it was pointless to begin picking them out without a plan to follow.
Kazo walked over to Yeln. Yeln emerged from beneath a broken engine component, and nuzzled against Kazo's hand, Kazo petting him immediately after. Kazo snickered. A female kobold approached, "Not trying to be rude sir but... what are you?" Kazo smiled and replied, "I'm a magic construct! And this is my kitten Yeln!" Yeln looked at her and mewed. She chuckled, spent a moment letting it sink in, then spoke, offering a handshake, "Pleased to meet you!" Kazo accepted, "Thanks!" She continued, "My buddy over there bet you were a space alien. I guess he owes me two moneys now." Kazo laughed, "Sometimes I feel like one!" She snickered, "Thanks though. Sorry I can't talk more, I don't want to miss my spot at the furnace." Kazo spoke, "Not a problem! I think I'll just head over to the river. Goodbye!" She smiled, "Have a good day!"
As Kazo walked away, Yeln hopping down and following him out, Kazo was reminded about the kobold sleeping pattern. Dawn was over and as the sun rose into the sky, eventually the kobolds would return home for the day. He would have plenty of time to get started. Likely first he would use recycled scrap to craft something useful. The coins he had were reduced to a pool of molten mass as the backpack was obliterated, and now he would need to raise his own funds.
Kazo continued out of the tunnels, continuing down the path toward the river. The airship sat on the side of the strip, its engines shut down, kobolds loading crates onto it. It appeared even military vehicles were put to productive use during times of peace. Likely the nearly-complete devices in the junk yard were devices dumped there by others. When Kazo reached the river, he saw the dam to one side, towering up, water spilling down into the river through floodgates. To the other side, the river continued on into the distance, westward, toward the ocean. It was deep enough for a vehicle to float down, a bit deeper in fact. A standard watercraft done with technology would be an interesting project, but it left an entire dimension out of exploration. A more challenging and rewarding puzzle to solve would be a submersible vehicle. With his affinity for aviation, Kazo had somewhat neglected experience in the field of submersibles as well, and this would be a chance to improve. He liked the idea, and began to think of potential designs for one.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, very short. Hoping the sub idea isn't a bad one too. Hmm, there's probably no point in putting down my concerns other than to make me feel better :p
Edit: Oh, and I like the idea of a sub very well, make something interesting that differs from existing things, and add some cool gadgetry!
[ March 30, 2008: Message edited by: Armok ]
I have a few ideas, but keep in mind, a lot of stuff seen on modern subs is beyond this era's technology.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeln and Kazo walked back toward the entrance to the tunnels. He continued thinking about ideas for submersible craft on the way. First was the most vital component of any submersible craft: a hull to keep the water out. Nature was known to be quite picky about hulls. Nature likes round surfaces, and doesn't like flat surfaces at all. In fact, nature dislikes flat surfaces on pressure hulls so much, it has a habit of breaking them. The best shape was obviously a sphere. Although a cylinder capped by hemispheres would likely be sufficiently strong, the closer to a sphere, the better.
Kazo debated between using a spherical window or a flat pane. A spherical one would be harder to work with, but a flat one would need to be much thicker to withstand the pressure. The debate didn't last long at all, it would be spherical. The window was always a weak point, and it needn't be especially so. Kazo continued through the tunnels, back toward the foundry. As he moved, he saw kobolds enjoying their leisure time, their shift having ended. None of them seemed restrained at all in what they chose to do, as long as nobody got hurt. They did, however, take notice of Kazo as he walked by. The ones that saw him before seemed happy to see him again.
Kazo smiled as he walked, and continued thinking about his project. The hull would have to be large enough for him, Yeln, and any extra equipment or devices he decided to bring along. Kazo stood at about 1 meter tall, so the hull might be between 0.8 and 1.3 meters in diameter, depending on what he decided to stuff in it.
Magically constructed submersibles were made neutrally buoyant, equipped with engines that could thrust in any direction, navigating much like a spacecraft would. Though it was easy to channel astral forces in a variety of directions, channeling physical material would become quite complex. Simplicity mattered, and the environment could be used to advantage. Water was heavy, and pushing it around would have quite a reaction. The hull might have tubes extending to the rear to hold propellers. What the propellers would be driven by would depend on if he could make an engine out of whatever junk was present or not.
This would work for moving him forward. For turning, water could be pushed aside by fins behind the engine, the rotor wash being pushed aside allowing for more maneuverability at slow speeds. For changing depth, the most efficient option was changing buoyancy. Water indeed was heavy, and in and of itself would serve as quite a ballast when compared to air.
Luckily, if he were to involve electrical equipment somewhere, he could skip the switchboard. Being able to generate his own electricity, he could simply provide power to whatever he wanted to use. This also meant, the hull being metal, he would be able to polarize the hull for defense should it ever be needed.
Kazo entered the foundry again, continuing back to the junk yard. Yeln looked around at the furnaces, the workers getting ready to end their shift, "Mew?" Yeln looked down, then licked his lips. Kazo spoke, "Don't worry, I won't take that long!" Kazo looked around. There didn't seem to be much that would be useful for an engine working without access to air. At the moment though, that wasn't priority. Kazo looked around, and found what appeared to once be a casing for a complex mechanical device, noting sections for shafts and gears. Now the metal appeared as if it had been impacted by something quite heavy, bent and twisted, the marks of gears pressed into it. Next to it were several pieces of what might have once been part of the body of an automobile.
Kazo brought them back into the foundry. To the rear right of the room was a smelting furnace, virtually unattended compared to the rest. It was just finishing up what was perhaps its last load of the shift. Although there were a pair of tongs and a bowl near the lower bay of the furnace, there was a larger bowl sitting unused on a nearby table. The buzzer sounded, and the crane moved over to the full cauldron by the furnace, lifted it and its molten contents up, and began moving it to the other side of the foundry where most of the large, scoop-topped steel making furnaces lay. Kazo immediately thought about the spill hazard from lifting the cauldron and carrying it like that, but the cauldron was never filled above a certain line, and on top of that, guards around the rim and a firmly secured connection with the crane ensured the odds of an accident happening were very low.
Kazo opened the lower access port of the furnace, placed his scraps in the large bowl, and held it into the fire with the tongs, bracing them against the bottom of the port. Yeln sat on the floor, and watched Kazo melt down the scrap, tilting his head a bit. Kazo began thinking of how large this facility was for such a relatively small town. Either the mine yield was extreme, or these people were aiding other sites in processing their metals.
There was a buzz from across the foundry as the crane lowered the cauldron, and poured the molten iron into the steel making furnace, the furnace tilted over to receive the metal. Kazo observed this occasionally as he worked. When the pouring was complete, the empty cauldron was raised, allowing the furnace to tilt upright, a dull roar building from it as it began its operation. The cauldron then was moved to the second steel making furnace, tilted over another empty cauldron to empty all of its contents out, then placed beneath the furnace as the furnace tilted to empty its finished load.
There was a buzzing, a light above the furnace changing from green to red as it tilted. Kazo noticed a bit of a grinding sound coming from the mechanisms at the side of the furnace. The mechanism was simple, a small gear driving a larger gear, but the small gear was coming unmeshed from the larger, building up more and more tension. As the furnace poured, the two operators at the controls discussed. "My shift's over in 5 minutes, so-" "Hey!" "What?" "I dun' think the tilt's supposed to do that." "What?" One pulled back on the lever to reverse the rotation of the furnace as the other looked up. "SH*T!" The gear was nearly pried loose from the driving shaft. The furnace began to rotate back, but as the furnace was being rotated back vertical... SPANG!
The smaller gear came apart from the shaft, the tension causing it to spring loose. It flew forward and fell into the cauldron half filled with molten steel. "Damn! Uhh.." The driving shaft now spun independently of the furnace's tilt. The furnace stopped its rotation to vertical, and began to back to it's sideways position. One of the kobolds by the broken furnace yelled, toward the crane booth, "HEY, A LITTLE HELP PLEASE?!" The crane operator saw the furnace begin to tilt past sideways under gravity, "Whoa!"
The crane dropped the cauldron down sharply, swinging toward the furnace. CLANG! The scoop of the furnace slammed down onto the top of the bucket, forcing the crane down further and spilling large volumes of molten metal into the cauldron. The crane arrested the motion, and began reeling back in, pulling the furnace up into an upright position on the way up, the cauldron rotating fully to vertical on its own as the small bit of metal still inside sloshed to the back. The molten metal spilling into the cauldron filled it, but luckily didn't overfill it.
The crane operator let out a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, many of the workers still present stood watching, "Holy..." A kobold at the broken furnace spoke, "Damn, you saved the day!" The kobolds there sat, breathing deeply, "Damn..." It was a reminder that sudden equipment failure happens occasionally. Likely it had been a lingering problem that an inspector had missed, but luckily, it didn't become material for a news story. Kazo smiled. It did present an opportunity though. Kazo thought about it, and decided that he indeed did have enough good steel to forge a new gear for them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The broken furnace idea was more interesting than my original, so I went with it. I'm hoping it wasn't a bad idea though.
[ March 31, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Darn, I need to quit drifting off so much. All the awesome stuff happens while I'm gone! Or perhaps, by that mentality, I should drift off more often in order to increase the awesomeification of this story. Ponder this, I must...
Hmm, I noticed that there's been quite an influx of fortuitous flukes as of late. Perhaps everyone's favorite goddess of luck is enjoying her job a little too much?
Love the idea of a submersible, by the way. Let's see what kind of trouble Kazo can get into 20,000 leagues under the sea! Well, maybe not that far, but you know what I mean.
In all, great work. :)
That sub would so much easier if he didn't need to have Yeln whit him.
due to fuel issues an electric motor might be good... that would make this an atomic sub!
-----------------------------------------------
:Darkness!
:Death!
:Depravity!
Lol, I just had to say that, after reading the one post in the Modding Section.
Heh, Armok, (spoily)I was actually planning exactly that.(/spoily)
And thanks also to Apache. Heh, those 3 things are quite fitting for a few of these characters.
Also, thanks to Impending, heh, although what happened in the foundry was pure chance, what happened in the last battle wasn't due to just luck.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The crane operator took a small break, getting back to work as Kazo was finishing. Kazo drew the hot bowl out from the furnace, and brought it over to the forges, Yeln standing and following, his tail raised into the air. Yeln looked around and sniffed, his tail dropping down slightly as he did so. Yeln then walked up to Kazo, rubbing against his leg, "Mew!" Kazo spoke, "In a moment I will!" Yeln tilted his head, "Meww?" Kazo snickered, "I'm a bit busy holding a bowl full of molten metal at the moment!"
Kazo hurried to avoid the metal cooling too much. He made sure his tongue was clean, and tasted the molten metal, finding it had the characteristic taste of iron with the oddities of carbon and other metals, but luckily, little unwanted impurities. He approached a forge that was just finished being used, the kobold using it now inspecting the finished product. Kazo noticed that it was a bronze scepter, with tin and obsidian rings hanging from it, alternating, and a rather detailed top and shaft. Kazo then walked up to the kobold, "Would you mind if I used your forge for a moment?" The kobold paused for a moment, looking at the blue scaled person, holding a bowl of molten metal and smiling kindly at him, "Um, eheh, go ahead, I'm done with it for the moment!"
Kazo replied, "Thanks!" Yeln sat and watched as Kazo poured some of the metal into a bar mould after inspecting it. Kazo then set the metal down, made sure his hands were cool enough, then pet Yeln. Yeln stood, raising his tail high into the air, and rubbed against Kazo's hand. Kazo smiled. Afterwards, Kazo returned to the mould, cooling the bar until it was solid, then removing the bar when it was still glowing hot, pouring the rest of the metal into the bar mould again.
Kazo forged half of the gear, and then removed the next bar, forging the other half onto the first, occasionally looking back to the closest working steel furnace for reference. He ran his claw across where there would've been a seam between the two halves, sending energy down through the seam, heating it back up again, allowing the two halves to weld together. He carried the still glowing gear as he walked toward one of the furnaces, double and triple checking it against the gears used there. It was a sturdy gear with 20 square teeth, also quite thick in depth. The center had a hole with slots for the shaft to be able to drive it. Despite being the smaller gear, it was still somewhat large for a single gear. It was unadorned, but Kazo still checked it over to make sure it was high quality. He brought it back, cooled it off, and checked again. The last thing he needed was for the gear he made to fail on them.
Meanwhile, the kobold who was inspecting his finished product found himself watching the odd metal creature before him handle the glowing metal sometimes with bare hands, never for very long though. When Kazo was satisfied of the quality of the gear, he carried it back over to the broken furnace. Both the red and the green lights above remained on. The kobolds at the furnace spoke, "Well, good thing we sucked the metal outta the bottom 'fore it turned into a problem." They both saw Kazo approaching, holding a shiny new drive gear.
Kazo spoke to them, "Why hello! Normally I'd donate this but my finances say otherwise." The nearest kobold replied, "Oh, understood. Where did that come from?" Kazo replied, "I just finished making it!" The kobold spoke, "Yep, you're the one who didn't need gloves, heh, what is that blue stuff you're made of?" Kazo replied, "Adamantine! It's too bad you won't find it anymore! It was quite the material!" The kobold responded, "Back from the days of magic I assume?" Kazo snickered, "Actually, yes!" The kobold hesitated, then spoke, "Heh, yeah I wish I did have some! Anyway, thanks for forgin' up a new gear for us, even if it does end up being temporary. They mass produce the things though, and they're not expensive at all, but since you'll help us keep our productivity up with this I guess I can call it 30 monies?"
Kazo replied, handing the gear over, "Sure!" The kobold spoke, setting the gear down and writing something on a piece of paper, "Thanks! Just have a chat with our guy in the bank, he's reliable!" Kazo spoke, "Thanks! Goodbye!" The kobold waved, "Bye blue thing!" Kazo snickered, and walked away. 30 monies would last for a while. Kazo returned to the forge, brought the bowl and tongs back to the smelter, and left the foundry. Even if Kazo could start building, it was a bad idea without concrete plans, and those plans likely needed to be drawn out. Perhaps one of the first things he would do with his new resources, after feeding Yeln, would be to procure paper and some method to write with. Kazo continued thinking about it as he walked, Yeln following close behind. He began to realize, this might be the first time he's ever truly been alone in working on a large project. Although he did enjoy the high degree of freedom, he found himself thinking about how it was before, and missing it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, pretty eventless I know, but it was a late start and my mondays tend to be full up.
Kazo entered the bank. He found himself standing on a wooden floor, a few booths behind a table in the rear, the table and booths blocking off the rear section from the front. Kazo immediately knew which booth to go to when he saw one of the tellers especially surprised to see him. He was considering sneaking behind the teller, but the security measures made it obvious such things would be very unwelcome. This booth was occupied, and the teller, though surprised, continued on. Kazo quietly moved up and waited in line behind the kobold making a deposit.
The kobold seemed sort of surprised at noticing Kazo, curious upon observing him. When she was finished, she turned and spoke, "Hello. I don't think I've seen your kind before!" Kazo replied, "Not that many have! I'd love to talk, but I have a hungry cat to feed." Yeln mewed at her, sitting down. She continued, "Oh, ok then." She then chuckled, "You'd make a good science fiction character." Kazo smiled, "I noticed that myself! Thanks!"
They smiled at eachother, then as she parted, Kazo spoke to the teller, "Why hello!" The teller hesitated, looking right at Kazo, then replied, "Ya know, when I got the message I'd be expecting a blue metal dinosaur with a kitten, I sent him back a message to stop drinkin' the dwarven rum out of the cellars." Kazo laughed, "I seem to have that effect on people here!" The teller continued, pulling up a small bag and setting it down, "Well, I still followed what it said and got the 30 moneys ready, never thought I'd actually be giving it out though!"
Kazo took the bag, and spoke, "So there's no paperwork involved?" The teller replied, "Nope, I trust 'im, no need to make things more complicated than they have to be. Only an idiot would use their position to commit fraud here anyway!" Kazo spoke, "I see! Thanks!" The teller smiled, "Don' mention it, and come again soon, it isn't often I see your type around here, considering you're the first!" Kazo snickered, "I'm my own type! Thanks again! Goodbye!" The teller replied, "G'bye!"
Kazo left, and began to think how he had neglected to investigate the rest of Steelflame and compare this technological world to the magic he was familiar with. He could do this when he wasn't working on his project. He made his way over to the food store, and bought some food. Immediately as he turned around, Yeln began to mew repeatedly, rubbing against Kazo's legs and purring, performing an almost ritualistic dance at the sight of the meat. Kazo used it to entertain Yeln, moving it around while Yeln jumped up to catch it. When Kazo dropped it down, Yeln batted it around and played with it, eventually stopping to tear it apart and devour it. Kazo smiled, and pet Yeln when Yeln finished, the shopkeeper also a bit amused by all this.
Yeln followed Kazo back to the foundry, licking his lips on the way. Kazo stopped to pick up a newspaper on the way, noting useful blank space around the margins. Upon entry to the foundry, Yeln stood by the door, walked in a circle, then curled up. Kazo smiled, but left Yeln there, understanding the cat's need for a quick nap once in a while. There were less workers in the foundry, and some of the furnaces were shut down at the moment. Kazo held the newspaper, but first, looked around the forges for any large mould he could use for hull pieces. The closest thing he found was a piece of rectangular material with a rectangular bay in the middle occupying most of the top. It was very long, but not all that wide. It was likely designed not to work as a mould, but to hold several hot moulds.
Still, it likely could be used as one. Kazo thought he could try it, and see how it would hold. In fact, he found himself eager to see how well such an impromptu mould would work, although he also noted that creating the hull might be a very time consuming process all in all. Kazo did want to read the paper but first felt like drawing out his ideas regarding the pressure hull. Kazo sat near a furnace, and scraped out some of the char from the port. Kazo then reached down beyond the ledge, sending down a line of mana, forming an astral ladle of sorts at the bottom. He manipulated forces to allow it to scoop up water, and brought up some of the water from the forge below. Kazo then mixed the char into the liquid, keeping it a small puddle. When it left a satisfactorily dark mark on the page, Kazo began sketching out the basics of pressure and his ideas on the pressure hull.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess another one where there isn't much happening. Maybe it's because this came after one of the more intense portions of the story. I also should have a better situation in the future as far as time goes. Still, I can't help the feeling this part is turning into a bit of a rut. At least I'll be out of it soon enough.
Although it's become part of an endless cycle :p
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo sketched out the calculations to make the hull properly buoyant. In order for a vessel to be neutrally buoyant, it simply had to weigh as much as the water it displaced. For simplicity, Kazo decided on a sphere with a diameter of 1 meter. The water it would displace came out to be about half of a ton... which meant the vessel and everything in it would need a mass of a little less than half a ton, with room to take on enough water to make its mass over half a ton. This would require quite a bit of steel...
Steel had about 8 times the density of water though. If the hull was just a solid shell, he would need a hull in the range of 1.8 centimeters thick. He would be leaving out portions though for the port and hatch, but these also had mass, along with any equipment he would bring along plus Yeln and Kazo himself. On top of it, the craft wouldn't all be in the sphere. The propeller and fins in the back would need to be balanced out, if the vessel was back-heavy, it would always want to nose up, if it was front-heavy, it would always want to nose down.
Kazo smiled as he thought of different ways to place masses and balance the craft, how to run controls through watertight, the hatch mechanism, everything. He found it to be a unique and challenging puzzle! He transferred his thoughts to paper, and after a while of double checking himself and confirming his ideas, eventually ending up with a compact but functional design. A spherical hull, diameter of one meter, with a propeller positioned behind it, 2 sets of fins, one horizontal, one vertical, behind the propeller. The propeller would be placed far enough back to avoid having the bulk of the hull seriously impede water flow, but not so far as to make it too heavy.
The linkages would be fed through small, water tight openings, the fins operated by lever. Buoyancy would be controlled by 2 water tanks on each side of the hull, also spaced to control the center of gravity of the vessel. Two doors, shut by spring, would be on the bottom of each tank, the tank having an opening to the interior of the hull near the top. One door would let water in, one would let it out, both would be shut most of the time. When the hole was open to flow, water pressure would drive water into the tanks, air into the cabin, allowing the vessel to sink. When air was pumped from the cabin back into the tanks, it would force the water out the bottom, causing the vessel to rise again.
Still, this would require a lot of steel, and there was only so much to go around. Plus, Kazo felt he might want to test these designs before risking his kitten, and as such might need a subject. He decided Nefarious might have recommendations for both issues. Kazo began to read the newspaper as he walked toward the exit of the foundry. A few days had passed since he had arrived, and the month of Slate would be over relatively soon.
The newspaper's main story recounted the events taking place at the base near Endlesslabors, the death of Tok, the disappearance of Milspec, and the disappearance of certain documents. There were several details on the happenings within the base, a few details on what happened with Milspec, suspected to have killed a general, and virtually no details regarding the documents. Kazo heard a familiar sound, "Meww?"
Kazo looked down and smiled upon seeing Yeln, stretching and yawning. Yeln then raised his tail and followed behind Kazo. Kazo made his way toward Nefarious' room, but eventually spotted her on the way there. Kazo hid behind a corner of a T-section, and when she passed, he emerged, sneaking up behind her. Kazo then leapt out in front of her, his tail waving above himself, "Why hello!" Nefarious smiled, still walking, "Hello!" They walked down the corridor, Yeln walking between them. Nefarious spoke, "How've things been?" Kazo replied, "I'm glad to have a peaceful existence for the time being! I do have a couple of questions though. First, would anyone else mind if I used a large amount of steel from the junk pile? Second, do you consider anyone here expendable?"
Nefarious replied, "How much's a large amount? And why do ya need someone expendable?" Kazo replied, "About half a ton. I need someone expendable to serve as a test subject. I don't want to set off in something that might fail at the worst moment, after all!" Nefarious spoke, "Half a ton? That'll take ya a while to get, but go ahead, just have common sense and keep in mind yer not the only one usin' junk. Fer someone expendable, I don't got any in mind yet but when I do, heh, using sharp objects is always fun but usin' someone I don't like for an experiment's got a knowledge bonus!" Kazo snickered, "That might mean you're more scientific! It might mean I'm more demonic! I'm not sure which!" Nefarious smiled mischievously, "Why not both?"
Kazo laughed... although, he nearly felt insulted for a moment. He had always felt a contempt for demonkind ever since the death of his father, although he put that out of the way for certain individuals ever since he met Nefarious. Kazo asked, "So why is the scrap free for the taking?" Nefarious replied, "A few reasons. People goin' in an' usin' the stuff for their own projects basically gives me a recycling plant with almost no running costs. Also, I don't like the idea of giving poor people handouts, so I'll give 'em a way to bootstrap their way out of it." Kazo replied, "I see!"
Meanwhile... Rostus' bunker was being searched. Quite a lot of unusual devices and materials were turned up, but the documents detailing the bomb were hidden away in a drawer. A young, child kobold snuck down past the others, intent on causing trouble. The young kobold snickered, spotted the expensive lab equipment, and snuck into the lab. She heard people searching nearer, and nearer. She thought using a nearby liquid to paint an obscenity on the wall, but before she did, she decided to rummage around in the drawers looking for anything useful. Upon opening one, a certain folder caught her eye. She took it, and slid it under her coat. Just when she finished, an adult male kobold walked in, "Hey, what... erm, are you lost? Is your mommy somewhere outside?" The young kobold spoke, "Ip!... ehm, bye?" She then ran off, past the older kobold, running past several others, finally exiting, and leaving the bunker behind.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I didn't get as far as I wanted, again, but I was a bit lengthy on the descriptions. I'm hoping the math worked out there.
Maybe it's technically holographic, but that's not the point!
Kazo continued, "So what if my subjects survive unharmed?" Nefarious replied, "Depends on what they did. I might let 'em go, I might find somethin' else for 'em to do, or I might take the fun of testing what would've happened in catastrophic failure." Kazo spoke, "So you'd drown the thieves?" Nefarious replied, "No, that's not anything to kill someone who might be productive, I'd make 'im yer slave for a while, and I'd ask you not be kind to 'im. If it was someone who did something worthy of 'catastrophic failure'..." She smiled mischievously, "Nah, just drowning 'em is boring, I'd have to throw in a piranha or two, or maybe a snake for the fun of it. If the dipsh*t pisses me off more I'll probably toss in a lamprey to make it worthwhile!"
Kazo asked, "You have an assortment of these things?" Nefarious replied, "Not all the critters, I'd have to go find 'em, but I got some good tools, can't have a hobby without tools for it!" Kazo snickered, "Just wondering, are you insane?" She grinned a grin of mischief, but one also of an odd allegiance, "Only a little!" Kazo laughed. Nefarious kept a smile, "People on my bad side 'll call me insane. People on my good side will too, they just mean it a different way."
She continued, "Just a few days ago the farmers were complainin' to me that Leiten ain't fillin' her duty, just gave 'er job to everyone else while she sat on 'er a** and drank for months on end. On top of it, she took her pay and then stole farm revenue! I told 'em to go back and hold 'er there for me. I got my ol' rusty chain and brought a dog with, chained her to the post by the field, and told 'er she wadn't gettin' anything to eat or drink 'till she finished 'er job and the job of 'er neighbors she used to dump work on, an' if she tried to break free the dog'd leave her something to remember. The work got done, an' she's never been late to work since, hasn't stolen a copper piece either. I thought about usin' the one with the collar with the spikes pointing inward, but I figured I'd only use it if the other farmers wanted me to, and they were OK with the regular."
Kazo asked, "What did the farmers think of this?" She smiled, "They applauded and laughed! People love it when I do this stuff 'cause I always do it to the people that piss 'em off!" She yawned as they approached the door to her room, "It's gettin' late. Good luck on that machine 'o yers! I heard about the whole incident at the foundry too. Ya helped out, thanks!" Kazo smiled, "No problem!" She hugged Kazo quite closely, kissed him, then grinned. Kazo hesitated, feeling rather unsure what the wisest course of action would be at the moment. She let go, and walked to her door, "G'night!" Kazo snickered, "Goodnight!" She then crossed through her door.
"Mew!" Kazo twisted around, and upon seeing Yeln, hopped up and landed so that he faced Yeln directly, "Yeln kitty!" Kazo grinned as Yeln ran up, rubbing against Kazo's hands as Kazo pet him. Kazo and Yeln again began moving. Kazo continued down the hall. He still had a lot of work ahead. He continued until he reached the foundry, finding less people there, some of the machines down for routine maintenance. He walked into the junk yard and found he was almost the only person there, some of the scrap having been used.
Yeln happily browsed the scrap, playing with whatever he could find while Kazo scavenged for usable metal. After a while, Kazo stripped quite a bit of metal, enough steel to maybe make one panel. The mould holder which he would be using as a straight mold would create panels that would arc to half the height and a tenth the circumference of the sphere. A total of 20 panels would be needed, and each one would have to be forged to be a proper portion of a sphere as well as be forged to properly interlock with the other panels air tight. Kazo hauled the metal back to a furnace, and retrieved the 'mould' too. He left the metal at the furnace, and stopped to feed Yeln and show Yeln where the water was. Afterwards, he loaded the metal into the impromptu mould, and when there was a break in furnace operations, he attempted to recycle more metal.
It was obvious this was going to take time. Forging it would also take time and fuel. He might need to rent time at the smelter rather than using the unused time of other. If the junk yard ever fell quite low, he might also consider buying the metal, although the junkyard would have to be almost empty for that. He would still have to make some crafts on the side it seemed. Kazo continued working as many of the kobolds sat at home or slept.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I spent way more time than intended on Nefarious' conversation. That's how it seems to work though.
[ April 04, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Fixed a mistake in the previous update.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo kept constant watch of this impromptu 'mould', making sure the heat wouldn't cause it to shatter, sending material and molten metal all around the interior of the furnace. He ran out of time, and had to move to a different furnace. Eventually, he obtained a proper result. Upon tasting it, he found it was a simpler steel, but still retained low impurities. Luckily, he had picked samples that were already clean and weren't painted over. He probably wouldn't be able to be so picky in the future, meaning he would need to clean the metal properly first.
Luckily, what he had at the moment seemed good enough. He brought it to the forge that the previous user seemed to be finished with, leaving time to spare. When he had cooled the metal enough to be properly solid, but still workable, he dumped it out from the mould, having to pry it out slightly. It clanged against the floor. Kazo picked it up and set the large, heavy plate and set it on its side. He projected the image of a wire-frame sphere, clipping it down to one plate and flattening it out for reference. The light show seemed to draw the attention of a good number of the people in the foundry, who occasionally paused from their job to watch Kazo.
Kazo lay the plate flat, then began pounding the sides of the plate down, giving it tabs, the untabbed area having curved sides. He had previously decided the bottom plates would have a tab across the top, a tab across the right side, and a slot across the left side. The top plates would have the same on the sides, but a slot on the bottom. The tabs would fit in the slots, and they could then be riveted together and sealed. He continued until the sides matched the guidelines he projected, flipping it over half way to make sure the tabs were centered properly. This did leave a lot of excess that had to be trimmed though.
A mithril force saw would make short work of this. I wonder what the technological equivalent is!
Kazo looked around, and spotted the destination of the metal, a manufacturing facility that continued down the lower level across from the forges. Kazo temporarily left his work in progress to run over and have a look. Kazo skidded to a stop upon approaching. The kobolds within glanced for a moment, some looking a bit surprised, but none were startled or even really distracted much. Likely it had to do with the heavy machinery being operated. Kazo looked around, not wasting much time as his plate was still cooling. He spotted a device that looked somewhat like a force saw, but was much bulkier than what he was used to, an electric motor driving a large rotating blade at high speed with a belt drive, metal surfaces to align the metal being worked on under the blade, the blade able to be moved up and down to cut with.
Kazo observed for a moment, but immediately after returned. The saw there was in use, and he didn't have time to wait for it to free up. Instead, Kazo channeled his energies to his fingertips, holding the metal down while he not only heated the metal at his claw through energy, he focused himself precisely, creating a line of force under his claw which aided him in cutting through the metal. Cutting off the excess was slow, energy consuming and also required quite a bit of force to be properly done. Half way through, Kazo was interrupted by the next user of that forge. He moved to another forge, reheated the metal, then finished trimming the excess. He then projected his reference again, this timed curved to match the desired sphere. Kazo spent a bit of time forging the plate into a curved shape to match the sphere.
He then cooled it off, and considered it good enough for this stage. The tabs had no holes for rivets, and the surface was a bit imperfect in some areas, but the finishing touches could be applied after all of the plates were done being forged. Kazo picked up the heavy plate, and hauled it from the foundry. Yeln joined Kazo again on the way out. Yeln had likely been making friends with the other kobolds in the foundry while Kazo was working. Yeln mewed happily. Kazo smiled as they continued their way through the tunnels.
They made their way out the exit of the tunnels, passing by the armor-clad snakeman into the badlands outside, the sun burning down quite brightly through clear skies. Kazo made his way to the other side of the ridge bordering the trade depot, finding an overhang placed over dirt. It was quite high up and was fairly large. It appeared by the marks in the dirt that there had once been crates resting at this spot, but not anymore. Kazo set the plate down. That was one, with 19 left to go. And once those were all finished up, holes drilled through the tabs, they could be riveted together. This would finish the basic structure of only the hull. Kazo thought about it... this project might take weeks, perhaps even longer depending on the situation. He smiled. Kazo felt no hurry, in fact, he felt like enjoying Steelflame while he was here whenever he took a break from working. Perhaps this time would pass quickly? Finding out was easy enough.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hopefully when I get my schedule back in order I'll start making bigger updates again. It should speed up too.
Previously it was said that as much as possible should be written. I was worried about it getting to be too much, and I guess it did.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo continued on with this project, and indeed, forging the plates was in and of itself time consuming. He spent the rest of the day building up money through making crafts, which he used to rent time at the forges. Kazo was happy to find that he was returning the favor he had previously taken. While he was checking his product or feeding Yeln, Yeln being asleep a good part of the time anyway, others made use of the forge he had rented. Of course, they moved on when he returned. He found he could clean metal properly well enough to have a good end result when recycling, and he always left quite a bit of the metal for others to use. He also salvaged a large motor, some tubing and plenty of wire from the yard directly, bringing it back.
Often he worked until his portion of the days salvage was gone, spending the rest of the day playing with Yeln and exploring Steelflame, sometimes visiting Nefarious. Sometimes he simply spent the left over hours playing with Yeln in a variety of spots around Steelflame. Though the people were cautious at first, they soon grew to enjoy Kazo's presence, some getting to know him quite a bit. As time passed, Kazo also stopped to observe and occasionally participate in public events as well. Sometimes he would simply read up on the new technologies available to him in this project.
Kazo often engraved the crafts he made, creating various pieces of art from imagined situations, striving to be unique each time. The traders of course saw this as a quality mark. Kazo thought about it... he, a construct, was making art. There once was a day when a construct was simply a device used to automate processes, and here he was, making art from his own imaginings. He was living proof that people needn't be born of flesh to be considered people.
Finally, after many days of, well, mostly waiting for metal, Kazo had all 20 rough panels together. He raised the funds for it, and rented time at the shop, where he ground away some of the imperfections on the panels, resulting in shiny sphere sections. He then drilled the holes for rivets in each one, making sure they line up with eachother. He brought the finished panels out, and then produced the rivets for it. At the end of all this, he riveted the panels together, pounding down the end onto the metal, and welding the rivets down on both sides using an arc off the tip of his claw. There was an opening on top for the hatch, an opening on front for the port, openings on the side for the float tanks, and a set of small openings in the rear for the propeller and control linkages, these small openings lined with rubber to prevent leaking.
Kazo then continued on, attaching the supporting pipe for the propeller to the back, and making the propeller and shaft itself, proceeding to repair the electrical motor and attach it to the shaft as well. He created the fins and linkages as well as the float tanks, pumps, and hatch cover. He then acquired the glass to make the port with, and used a furnace to alter its shape. He attached and welded down all components except for one tank and its pump. Instead, he temporarily mounted the pump on the outside facing in. He set a twig on fire and dropped it into the bottom of the sphere, shutting the hatch. He pumped air into the cabin, checking for any smoke escaping. He spotted a leak, welded it shut, then continued, finding no more leaks.
Air was a primary concern, and it required knowledge of chemistry to take care of. In the days of magic, Kazo remembered, alchemical castings could flood the carbon bonds in carbon dioxide, and peel them apart, leaving carbon and oxygen. Magic was quite versatile for manipulating the structure of compounds through external intervention. In the more physical chemistry, only physical interactions could manipulate the composition of compounds. Luckily, Kazo had read up on this, and with Nefarious' permission, obtained the materials needed to make a scrubber. He proceeded to build and install it.
It had been weeks. The month of Hematite was now beginning, and Kazo had a craft with controls, engines, and a proper hull. Kazo was surprised to find nobody tried to steal from his construction site in that time, a bit disappointed as well that he wouldn't have a proper test subject. As Kazo and Yeln emerged from the tunnels for the final check, they found out why they hadn't been stolen from. Kazo walked to the hill near the trade depot, to the opposite side from the depot, to find a truck parked near the overhang.
A small crane dangled over the truck bed, its cables slung around the entire submersible. Kazo walked, but slowed to a sneak, passing around the truck toward the rear. Kazo spotted the kobold operating the crane, and smiled. He had found a proper test subject! As the kobold attempted to pull the entire submersible onto the truck, Kazo quietly climbed onto the truck bed, sneaking behind this kobold. Kazo tapped on the kobold's shoulder. The kobold turned around, and almost jumped at the sight of Kazo's grinning face. Kazo spoke, "Why hello! I see you've found my vehicle!" The kobold sighed, hesitating a moment in realizing there was no chance of getting out of this one, "Sh*t..."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Come to think about it, the update before this one was probably completely unnecessary, as well as probably a few others.
you needn't compress time like that.
Yeah, well, I thought I might've overcompensated, but, to make an analogy, it's hard to make a trip to the grocery store sound epic. :p
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazo spoke, "Let's go see Nefarious!" The kobold replied, turning to run, "Let's not!" Kazo snatched his arm just as he was about to run, and began to pull him toward the entrance to Steelflame, "I insist!" Kazo hopped down, pulling the kobold with him toward the entrance. The kobold struggled. Kazo spoke, "Please accept your destiny!... I don't want to have to make you stop!"
Meanwhile, Yeln climbed atop the submersible, and curled up on top of the hatch. The hatch was slightly in the sun. The front of the submersible was in the shade, the rear completely exposed, the metal shining out the sun's reflection, further illuminating a section of the pale green truck. Eventually, Kazo brought the kobold to Nefarious' room. He had been compliant most of the way, but upon seeing her door, he immediately began to struggle again, "No, let me go!" Kazo snickered, and knocked. After a few moments, Nefarious answered, "Hello. That's the a*shole who's been messin' with the freight?" Kazo replied, "I found him trying to commandeer my submersible! That truck of his could probably haul quite a few crates!"
Nefarious laughed, "Have fun with 'im! Heck, I'm gunna go watch!" Kazo smiled, "Sure!" The kobold asked, "What the hell is this?" They began to walk back out. Kazo replied, "A science experiment! I need to test that vehicle you were trying to steal. You're my subject now!" As they made their way out, the kobold began to struggle, "You can't! That's gotta be against some treaty or law or something!" Nefarious smiled, "I say what the law is 'round here, an' Kazo here's got my OK!" Kazo spoke, "Besides, ignoring treaties in the pursuit of science is part of my family tradition!"
They reached the vehicles. Kazo left the kobold for Nefarious to talk to while he moved the submersable the rest of the way into the truck, using the truck to move the submersible, the kobold and Nefarious down to the river. Yeln slept most of the way there, waking up temporarily when the submersible was moved. At the end, Kazo stopped the truck, and lowered the submersible down to the bank of the river. Nefarious smiled, "This should be fun!" Kazo replied, "Absolutely!" Kazo then turned to the kobold, "Use the pumps on the sides to rise, the valves to dive, and use the crank on the glass box to manage your air supply. We're seeing if these things work properly!"
Nefarious had tied the kobold to the side of the cargo bed in the truck. Kazo opened the hatch, Yeln hopping off. He reached in, and retrieved two lengths of rope. He then tied one end of the rope to the hatch, the other to a post. He then tied the other length to the hatch as well, swimming across the river with it to attach it to the other post. Meanwhile, Nefarious could be seen leading the kobold onto the submersible, forcing him in then shutting the hatch above him. She then slid a small metal rod through the latch and handle of the hatch, effectively locking it from the outside.
Kazo returned to the other side, then, together, they slid the submersible into the river. The wash from the dam pushed the submersible backwards. The far rope pulled it out to the side, eventually both ropes becoming taut as ht reached the middle of the river, a wake forming behind it. It float, but only a bit. Just the top of the hull and the hatch were visible.
It doesn't capsize! Good!
Yeln tucked himself away in the truck and began to sleep more. They waited a while, and the submersible never submerged. Nefarious smiled, and treaded into the river. She acted as if she was going to swim out to the submersible. A few moments later, the submersible dropped, disappearing under the waters. A small rift on the surface could be seen for a few moments, then the wake, in essence, disappeared. Nefarious laughed, then returned. Kazo proceeded to make his way into the river, treading along the bottom. He made his way to the submersible, which was pressed down to the bottom. He looked in the port. It was rather dark inside, but it was visible some water spilled into the cabin, likely from leaving the fill valves open for too long. The kobold stopped to look at Kazo, then went back to keeping the air supply in check.
Buoyancy seems to work. I'm eager to see if he runs out of air or not!
For quite a while, Kazo remembered images while he was down watching the kobold, occasionally surfacing to share them with Nefarious. Nefarious had seen Kazo's ability to project images before, and always found herself more and more fascenated with the days of magic. At the moment, she couldn't help but laugh at the kobold inside, his confined state and his rather vulgar speech and gestures. Kazo ended up using the kobold's 'enthusiasm' as a gauge for how viable the air was within the submersible. Eventually, when Kazo was sure the scrubbers had to have been working, he removed the rod locking the hatch, and gestured for the kobold to use the pumps. Kazo climbed out from the river, set the rod down, and watched as the ropes angled upwards, their entry point in the water closing together.
A rift appeared on the surface, and finally, the entry points of the ropes merged as the submersible's hatch pierced through the water, sending a slight mist up as water was sent into the air. Kazo smiled, and reeled the submersible in with the side rope. When it had reached shore, Kazo tied a second tie, holding the vessel in place. Nefarious commented, "No drowning and no suffocation. A bit of a disappointment but I'll live." The hatch opened. Nefarious approached the vessel, and as the kobold attempted to flee, Nefarious tripped him down to his knees, pinning him. Nefarious smiled, "Ya still want 'im Kazo?" Kazo replied, "No thanks, it's time for a field test!"
Nefarious spoke to the kobold, "He's done with ya, but I ain't!" She then spoke to Kazo, "Thank's for bein' an attraction 'round Steelflame!" She chuckled, then continued, "Have fun out there, I'll be here fer when ya get back!" Kazo noticed Yeln sleeping, and left Yeln there as he and Nefarious walked back to Steelflame, dragging the kobold with. Kazo smiled, "Thanks! I shouldn't be gone for too long!" After they reached Steelflame, Kazo acquired a few days of food and for Yeln, and returned back to the submersible. He placed the provisions inside, then waited fpr Yeln to awake, placing Yeln atop the submersible. Yeln hopped in and began sniffing some of the provisions. Kazo shoved the vessel off, then hopped in after it. Kazo made his way back to the vessel, and climbed in. Kazo untied both of the ropes from the hatch, and when he let go of both at the same time, the submersible accelerated in reverse, the wake becoming less prominent as the speed of the craft relative the surface of the water decreased.
The dam and its wash began to shrink away from them. Kazo ducked down into the bluish-lit cabin, and shut the hatch above himself. Yeln mewed. Kazo thought, Yeln probably wouldn't stand being cramped up in a vessel like this for long. He would have to park and let Yeln out once in a while. As Kazo looked out the port, he saw the waters beyond. Another leg of his adventure was beginning, and where it led, only the currents knew. He had seldom ever explored beneath the ocean, and he felt eager to do so in this odd period!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hopefully nothing amiss here.
Kazo stood, holding himself up on the hatch and looking out as the submersible drifted in the current. The current was rather swift, and as Steelflame disappeared behind them, Kazo looked at the scenery. Yeln seemed more intent on resting than anything else. They drifted quite a ways. The river led south but turned westward toward the ocean. Kazo had looked up the geographic details of the river, and found that there were no dangerous rapids or falls between Steelflame and the ocean. If there were, he might not've used this route with Yeln in the submersible.
Although Yeln slept most of the way to the ocean, when Yeln was awake, Kazo sometimes powered the motor to move the craft to the side of the river, beaching it a bit, then got out and let Yeln have some fresh air. Kazo found Yeln had often suggested various toys for Kazo to play with him with, and Kazo generally obeyed. Luckily, the current in the river was swift, and it was still daylight by the time the ocean was reached.
The ocean lay ahead. Kazo had navigated into the northern branch of this delta, and continued down. Unfortunately, a segment of the stream was very shallow... the vessel got stuck. Kazo hopped out, moved down to stand outside the bottom of the craft, then dug a small channel for the vehicle to slide upon. Kazo then left the water, afterwards channeling his mana to create a force on the vessel, digging his feet into the sand as he pulled it through the soft sand. The vehicle was freed, and Kazo swam to it, emptied himself of water, then entered the vessel again.
A while later, they reached the ocean. Kazo looked around, scanning the blue horizon, land nearby behind him, to the right of the vessel. Above, clouds gathered. It seemed as good of a place as any to investigate. Kazo entered the cabin, and shut the hatch, sealing it tightly. He then opened the inlet valves for the tanks, two at a time, one on each side. He monitored the sound the air made. As the tank filled, he shut the valve to avoid water spilling into the cabin. Kazo felt the vehicle ease downwards. Yeln mewed, looking out the window. Kazo powered the motor, the spinning propeller leaving small bubbles behind it. The glass of the port shined in the submarine light, beams of light illuminating the small particles in the water as the vessel displaced them.
Kazo smiled as the vessel made it's way downward. He looked upwards through the port. Luckily, he only needed one hand to power the motor, the other pole grounded to the hull. Yeln flopped over, pulling on the rivets with his claws, pulling himself forward while resting on his side. Kazo snickered, and scritched Yeln's other side. Kazo grinned at Yeln. He had once received a copy of a picture taken of him and Yeln together. Kazo powered the motor with one hand, alternately steering and operating the scrubber with the other. Kazo smiled at the thought that, albeit indirectly, he had built the first submarine powered by the decay of heavy elements. The light began to dim down quite a bit, scattered within the waters above. Kazo began to pump air into the tanks, forcing water out, arresting their descent. The sea floor was nearby anyway. Kazo smiled, looking around out the port as he moved past coral and fishes on his way down.
He noted that although this wasn't a common sight, the fishes still seemed to respect this vessel. Perhaps they thought it was a very big fish? Kazo snickered. Eventually, the sea floor dropped off sharply, leaving a dark abyss below. Yeln suddenly stood, "Mew! Meww!" Bubbles began to crawl up the surface of the submersible. Kazo spotted bubbles rising around them. Kazo looked down, the bubbles rising up from below. Kazo turned the vessel, but as it turned, he felt the currents shift. A down shift in coastal waters was creating a current that drove him out to sea. Yeln mewed loudly. Kazo had felt oddly alone as he left for the sea. He stopped the motor, and felt around, sensing the astral plane. A large entity had spotted him, and he sensed he didn't want it's attention...
Kazo turned the submersible again, thrusting out to sea. The bubbles intensified. Kazo heard a laugh seeming to come from nowhere... Yeln hissed upward, "Mrrrrh!" There was a sound almost of a distant explosion. The submersible rocked. Kazo began pumping out the water as fast as he could from the tanks, causing the submersible to rise. More and more bubbles sprayed against the bottom of the submersible, displacing the heavy, cold water with light, hot gas. As gas displaced liquid, the effective displacement of the vessel diminished, but it remained just as heavy.
The vessel stopped rising, and began to sink again despite air-filled buoyancy tanks. It began to nose down as water flowed past the tail fins. Kazo powered the motor and attempted to steer his way free from the column of bubbles, but the bubbles seemed to make the propeller quite inefficient as it sliced through the lightly reacting gas. The vessel began to plummet, the bubble-filled waters darkening rapidly. Kazo braced as the vessel nosed down. As a last ditch effort, Kazo tried to push the water back with mana-powered force, pushing himself and the vessel away from it. The bubbles also made it difficult to force water away. Before Kazo could focus himself enough to divert the water... WHANGG!
The vessel seemed to slam down into something, flipping upside down as a result. Luckily, whatever they had hit knocked them free of the bubble stream. Unfortunately, the outlet valves on the buoyancy tanks, once facing down, now faced up, releasing air as a result. Kazo fell backwards, and cought Yeln as Yeln fell. Yeln breathed rapidly, his tail poofed up. Kazo held out one hand, channeling mana to excite the air above it into emitting light. The waters outside were nearly black. Kazo realized, he was far below the depth he had intended to be. The hull was weakened due to the immense pressure. His next thought brought to him awareness of some imminent danger above.
Kazo sensed by the current, and saw by an obstruction to the dim light above, a bounder falling straight down. He sent out pulses of mana to sense it's location. Kazo immediately gathered his mana, and projected his energies out, enveloping the boulder, barely able to fit the boulder in. He then began to push the bolder back up and to the side in an effort to deflect it. The boulder kept going... this only pushed the submersible further downward. WHUMP! The submersible hit a floor. Kazo felt himself pinned to the back of the submersible as he attempted to deflect the boulder, water spraying onto his face... water spraying onto his face? Kazo didn't take long to think about it. WHACK! Another boulder struck the first. THUD! A boulder landed to the left of the submersible, sending up a murky plume of dust into the water. THUMP! The second boulder landed to the right, sending up a few pebbles as well as a plume of dust.
Whatever had happened must've triggered a rock slide... there were more boulders coming down. It occurred to Kazo, maybe the source of the bubbles had nothing to do with it. The spray of water intensified... the pressure and damage together left a panel pulling itself out of its rivets. Yeln purred in an effort of self comfort... then gently nuzzled Kazo, licking him quite a lot, sitting still afterwards. Yeln wrapped his tail around his front paws, head down, pressed against Kazo's arm. Kazo desperately shoved the next boulder into the path of the one behind it, deflecting them both. The third after nearly struck. By the time he could even think about the one after that, it was less than a second away. Kazo sent up a burst of force, 'shutting' his eyes to aid in focus. It was too late. BANGGGGgggg...
Kazo 'opened' his eyes to find himself spinning, drifting in the waters. Bounders were piling up. The hull of his submersible had quite visibly ruptured.
That was just... Yeln?
Kazo swam to the ruptured hull, and began frantically searching.
YELN?!!
Yeln lay motionless, upside down in the torn hull. Kazo immediately picked Yeln up, and swam upwards as fast as he could. He realized... going this fast had detrimental effects, but it was the only way to get Yeln up in time. The waters grew in brightness. Finally, with a splash, he emerged, and held Yeln up into the air. The pressure, the rapid ascent... he dare not consider it. Kazo held Yeln up, and found Yeln wasn't breathing. He forced the water from Yeln's lungs, and blew air into them. Nothing changed. Kazo sensed Yeln was without a pulse. Kazo placed his hands carefully, and shocked Yeln through the chest. It didn't work. He attempted to revive Yeln several times to no avail.
Kazo held Yeln against himself, hands pressed against Yeln's back... he felt very alone. Yeln's soul had already left the body. For an interval of time which he never bothered to measure, Kazo looked down at Yeln's face. Finally, Kazo hugged Yeln's body, slinging it over his shoulder. He began to swim towards shore. He rested his head on Yeln's body, mouth slightly open.
This shouldn't have happened! It couldn't have!
For once, Kazo felt his happiness had left him. He knew the full effect had even yet to sink in. Thinking about it, that laugh... the battle those months ago... he knew who it was, and that entity had been waiting for the right moment. Kazo was the target... but all that had resulted was collateral.
Why did did it have to be kitty? Why Yeln?!
Kazo found that, for once, he had a question he would rather not try to answer. He lacked the drive to think about much at all during those moments... he just wished it could all be undone. Kazo partially 'shut' his eyes as he swam, leaning his head against Yeln's. They had had an adventure together, and had kept eachother company for so long, through thick and thin... and now, Kazo was alone.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One update I really hope I didn't make any mistakes on... I got emotional here myself when writing this.
[ April 08, 2008: Message edited by: AlanL ]
Beyond Quality.
(edit: this meage is for AlanL)
[ April 08, 2008: Message edited by: Armok ]
The rain began to let up. Kazo carried Yeln's body up to the top of the shore, finding a patch of badlands in view of the water. When the rain let up enough to not pose a flooding risk, Kazo cleared a patch of mud away, and set Yeln's body down, using a stone to dig a small covered space below the packed surface. He dug it deep enough to shield the space within from heat and cold, then placed stone within, fitting it together with pebbles when needed in order to prevent water seeping into the space.
After checking everything thoroughly, he slowly placed Yeln's body within the space in a comfortable, natural position, sealed it with a rather flat stone, then buried what remained of the opening. Kazo took up the stone he used to dig with, conveniently shaped for the task, and held it with the back facing him. Using another stone as well as intense heat, finishing it with his claws, Kazo etched "Yeln" into the digging stone, and added "1879." Below that, "I'll always remember you!" Unfortunately, there was no more room after that. Kazo planted the stone firmly into the ground at the front of the burial site, standing back to check what he did.
Kazo would never forget Yeln. He remembered back to all that they had done together... He found himself smiling, his tail rising up for a moment as he remembered. Kazo looked down, and spoke, "Thanks!" Kazo hesitated a moment. His sadness was dissipating already. He knew Yeln's soul could venture or stay wherever he so wished now, and Yeln wouldn't want him to mope around. Kazo would recover. For another moment, he thought about this, then decided it was time to move on. He did so, following the stream back upriver.
Kazo ran back upstream along the side of the river, thinking about this and his entire stay in this era as the day continued on, eventually becoming night. The rain picked up again. He enjoyed the feeling of raindrops falling onto his plating. Once, he leapt through the cool rain and breeze, leaping over a piece of river. He found that although he would feel sad about Yeln, it meant small things made him happier. He realize just how far off course his adventures had left him from his original goal though... he still had quite a bit to learn about this era.
The night continued on. Though he might bring his mood back up, he felt deep down inside the weight of what had happened. He would miss having Yeln at his side. Still, he had a lot ahead. He continued moving. He crossed the terrain, and after a long while of running, passing across plains, up hills and through valleys, slowed down as he saw himself approaching the mountains harboring Steelflame. Kazo noticed his rods extended quite a bit. He noticed his power core had become sluggish since he had received fuel from Rostus. Since Rostus could make any of it at all, sometime in the relatively near future, more fuel would probably become available. At that time though, the only source was gone. Perhaps soon, as a matter of survival, he would need to sleep again.
He snickered as he thought the main reason for his self-preservation was that he wanted to learn as much as possible as close as possible about what lay around him, before learning what the afterlife was like. As Kazo approached, he heard laughter, spotting a kobold dancing in the rain, a bolt of lightning arcing overhead. Kazo approached, and noticed it was Raven, usually known by his gloominess but apparently not in these conditions. Kazo approached, curious as to why this change had occurred, "Why hello!" Kazo felt Raven's positivity quite contagious. Indeed, he had found himself quite more sensitive to such things since Yeln... Raven replied, "Hi! It's beautiful! Isn't it?"
Kazo looked up. The dark clouds slowly swirled above, their bulges enveloping into one another, pouring down rain and sending up the occasional lightning bolt. Kazo smiled, "Yes it is!" He had once been quite fascinated with the inner workings of clouds and storms, and on many areas still was. Kazo commented, "Nature has some of the most beautiful phenomena! I just love how the weather works!" Raven let out a unique laugh. Kazo listened carefully, that being the first time he had ever heard a laugh of joy from Raven. Raven replied, "This is my kind of weather!" Kazo asked, "So why do you like this so much?" Raven replied, "Back when my parents were still around, we always had the most fun on rainy days. They fit me too, and I even think they're the only thing that ever makes me truly happy." Kazo replied, "I see. Thanks! I needed the smile!" Raven replied, "Don't mention it."
A bit later, Kazo continued in. Immediately, he proceeded to read about what technology had revealed of the world, starting with weather. He made the final fate of Yeln known to Nefarious, as well as the details of what had happened. Nefarious responded to this, "That's the risk o' the job! Don't worry, yer gunna be back with 'im sooner or later!" Kazo replied, "That's true! I hope it doesn't matter to him which one it is!" Nefarious replied, "It shouldn't too much. He can do whatever 'e wants ya know." Kazo smiled at the idea, "I see!"
Kazo continued investigating the world around him, his quest for knowledge eventually bringing him back to the ocean, this time without a vessel, searching for an answer to a question that had begun to bother him more and more: where exactly did those bubbles come from? What had he hit? Venturing down, he found a sheet of what appeared to be some sort of volcanic vent nearby a collection of murky water and colored deposits on the ground. The vent didn't seem particularly active... it would be odd for it to cause such an upheaval, but something caused it to. A rim around the edge had at its top the mark of a tail fin within it...
Kazo continued, reading about mechanics and weather, chemistry, and as he learned, applying them. As time passed though, he only found himself becoming more and more exhausted and hungry. Eventually, he found himself faced with a bit of a dilemma. He wasn't lasting long enough awake for new fuel sources to become available. He could either sleep again, or live a bit more in this fascinating era to die afterwards. But, beyond lay an era that contained the remnants of this as well as entirely new things. He also retained the feeling that he carried his father's legacy along with him.
Kazo didn't have much time left in this era anyway. Eventually, he made it known what he was planning, and on one day, chosen when he felt it was becoming quite urgent, he began to speak his goodbyes. He bid farewell to those he had befriended, Raven, the bartender, the smelter crew, the farmers, everyone he knew, and finally Nefarious. Kazo approached, then spoke, "Why hello! Ironic that I'm stating a greeting, isn't it? It's time for me to move on! Thanks, friend! It was great working with you!" Nefarious smiled, "Heh, the feelin's mutual. Good luck, 'n have fun! I'll see ya some time down the road. 'Till then, I'll miss ya though."
Kazo asked, "You'll see me? When would that happen?" Nefarious replied, "Maybe only a few centuries, tops. Heh, even if they put me down there an' put you up there, we can still get all our buddies together and throw a hell of a party! Just 'cause the rules would say we couldn't meet doesn't mean the rule can't be broken." Kazo replied, "I see! I guess I will then! Thanks again!" Nefarious responded, "No problem. Have fun wherever ya end up!" Kazo smiled, "Sure thing!"
It was time. Kazo felt his power supplies slowly dwindling, and he needed the rest of it to make it to a later era, hopefully far enough ahead to offer him a new, more reliable supply. Kazo made his way to the bottom rear of Steelflame, proceeding down onto the mineshaft. He turned right at a T section, then left at the next, then right, eventually ending up in an abandoned shaft, old metal supports in the middle and wooden beams leaning against the back. Kazo lay against the wooden beams, He retracted his rods in fully, allowing his mana level to dissipate away. He thought about Arkus and Yeln as he did so. He felt the weight of what had happened to them still on his heart, but he also felt quite positive. They would want for him to be happy... Kazo adjusted his rods to provide just as much power as needed as he slowly faded out of touch with the world. It was time to move on, and hopefully, wherever he would end up, he could finally study and conduct science in relative peace.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I get the feeling I might've accelerated through some things I probably shouldn't have. If that's the case, I could edit to expand. Hopefully the next story will turn out better than this one, this one admittedly having more flaws than I would like...